Star Wars Episode 1: The Malevolent Darkness
by aspiringactor
Summary: "For over a thousand Generations, the Jedi Knights were the guardians of peace and Justice in the Old Republic. Before the dark times. Before the Empire." (AU version of the Prequels) DISCONTINUED
1. Chapter 1

**Foreword:** This is a long-gestating project of mine, starting back over a year ago, now only just being put into words. It started life as a "How to improve the Star Wars prequels" list, and has evolved from there. So, let me just clarify: Nothing that happened in episodes 1-3 is cannon for the purposes of this fanfic. The only material that I'm considering as canon are Episodes 4-6, giving me as much leeway as possible.

I will, however, be including various elements from the prequels and expanded universe. Things such as Characters and planets may pop up here and there. If you have any special requests/suggestions, don't hesitate to ask. And now:

 ** _STAR WARS:_**

 ** _EPISODE 1:_**

 ** _THE MALEVOLENT DARKNESS_**

 _A long, long time ago_

 _In a galaxy far, far away_

 **It is a time of peace and prosperity for the Galactic Republic.**

 **The dreaded Lords of the Sith, sworn enemies of the Jedi Knights have not been seen in the Galaxy for decades.**

 **But on the core world of Alderaan, trouble brews. Something sinister lurks in the darkness,**

 **and the Jedi have sent their finest members to investigate.**

 **Little do these brave knights know that their actions will affect the galaxy as a whole.**

 **It is the calm before the storm. And the storm is coming.**

The Modified Republic T-17 corvette sliced through the vacuum of space as quietly as the space around it. It's engines glowed a solid blue colour as they powered the ship forward. Although, technically, there was no such thing as 'forward' whilst in space. Only momentum. But Anakin Skywalker had no time to ponder the intricacies of inter-spacial travel. He had more important things to be concerned with.

Like not being zapped by a training droid.

"Again!" his Master, Obi-Wan Kenobi, barked from where he stood, against the wall of the corvette's hull. Just over three heads taller than the twelve-year old Skywalker, The Twenty-Five year old Jedi Knight stood with an impassible expression on his face. A short beard adorned his face, but did not hide the small scowl-like feature he bore. A feature which tortured Anakin's soul deeply as he raised the glowing blue lightsaber into a Form-III defensive stance and waited patiently.

His eyes flickered up to the small, floating remote droid that travelled around him in perfect circles. The point of this exercise was very simple. Anakin was to deflect any of the bolts that the droid launched his way. There was no dodging, or slicing the droid in two. So he had to concentrate hard on the small, metal sphere. He delved deep within himself, reaching out to the force, which flowed within him. He sensed his connection with the droid. With his Master. With the ship. With everything round him.

A slow breath escaped his lips as he sensed the movement of the droid, and closed his eyes. He knew that the droid was moving to the left, but sensed that it would soon veer to the right, and he adjusted his blade appropriately, at the last second.

 _Voom! Zing! Ba-zing! Ba-voom!_

Anakin opened his eyes as a sense of elation filled him. He had successfully deflected the bolt, just as his master had instructed. He spun around, hoping to see a wry smirk on Kenobi's face, but his heart sank. There was a look on his Master's face that bordered between shock and anger. Anakin turned on his heel, wondering if he had perhaps hit some vital instrument on the ship.

His heart sank even deeper when he realized this was not the case.

He hadn't hit the ship.

He had _nearly_ struck the venerable Jedi Masters Qui-Gon Jinn and Sifo-Dyas. The only thing which had saved them from a painful stinging sensation to the eyes was Jinn's glowing green lightsaber, and the Master's quick instincts.

"Padawan," Kenobi barked harshly, "return to your quarters. When I return, I want to see you in a full Soresu Guard stance five," he said snappishly, as Anakin was waved away. The young Jedi Learner quickly turned to the two Masters and bowed low, out of both respect and apology. Jinn, however, smiled as he sheathed his blade.

"Your reflexes are impeccable, young one," Jinn smiled as he clasped a hand onto Anakin's shoulder. Jinn was a male Human of about Fifty years old. His hair was long and beginning to grey. He wore a taught and crisp black form-fitting environmental uniform. A grey belt hung at his side, holding a few instruments that Jedi frequently used on missions, such as rations and a comlink, as well as his lightsaber hilt ring. "But hold your hilt higher, it'll help protect your heart and your head better," the Jedi Master continued as he scuffed Anakin's short-cropped sandy-brown hair. "A lesson that even the _greatest_ masters have yet to learn."

"You never fail to bring that up, do you, Qui-Gon?" Sifo-Dyas asked as he waved a cybernetic hand through the air casually. Many rumors were whispered around between Padawans about Sifo-Dyas's missing limb. Some said that he had it bitten off by a Rancor. Others said he had been captured by Pirates and attempted to escape. And even more said that he had cut it off himself, in order to save himself from drowning in a crashed Starfighter during the last war in the Republic. Anakin didn't believe any of those rumors. They didn't quite seem to fit the legend that Sifo-Dyas was. Unlike most Jedi, Sifo-Dyas didn't usually wear ceremonial Jedi robes, save for meetings with high dignitaries. Most of the time, he wore a modified set of Republic trooper armour, with several pieces coming from outlying systems. The armour, while usually white and pristine on a trooper, was mottled and greyed from constant weathering and abuse. Angry scratches cut deep into the left side of the breastplate, and they seemed to travel up through his neck and face. That was where the Rancor bite rumor had started. "Better pass up on that order, Master Kenobi. We're approaching the Alderaan System. We should be arriving in five minutes."

xxx

"You should be kinder to your apprentice," Qui-Gon remarked as the two of them traversed the narrow hallway of the republic transport. Obi-Wan nodded alongside the venerable master as they made their way towards the cockpit, in order to prepare for the final landing procedures. "He's a remarkable Padawan. Skilled. Intuitive. Intelligent."

"I know, Master," Obi-Wan replied softly, as he unfolded his arms, which were concealed deep within his Jedi robes. "I can see it. I can foresee that Anakin will become a great Jedi. _If_ I can guide him along the path properly," he said, as he stroked his beard slowly, pondering his position. As an Apprentice, he had never talked back to his Master, never disobeyed an order. But _Anakin,_ on the other hand, was entirely different. He was easily frustrated. He shut down at times. He refused to see things another way. And Obi-Wan was at his wit's end as to how to get through to the boy. "Did Master Yoda give us any further orders?" he asked, knowing they had very little information on exactly _what_ they were supposed to do on Alderaan.

"No," Qui-Gon replied, obviously as unnerved by the lack of details as the younger Jedi was. "No. I've contacted the council several times since we left, but there has been no change in our mandate. We are to protect the Royal Family. That is all," he continued, as a grave sense of foreboding filled the both of them. They both knew that when the Jedi council didn't give much information, that was a sign of trouble. And when Obi-Wan looked at his former master, he saw a grave look on his face. The same look that he had whenever asked about the Siege of Dathomir, the last great Jedi-Sith conflict. "I asked Master Vos to contact his friends in the Underworld, to see if there's been a hit placed on the family," Jinn sighed as he rubbed his temples, and they entered the cockpit of the ship. Currently, the cruiser was being driven by an R4 astromech droid. But the droid didn't have the ability to land such a beast on its own, or the clearance to land in the Capital city's main hangar.

"Has he replied, at least?" Obi-Wan asked, as he assumed the co-pilot's chair. While he was a competent pilot on his own, and was more than capable of landing a ship this size, Qui-Gon was much better than he would ever be. "It would explain why the Senate isn't in an uproar. King Organa is one of Chancellor Valorum's strongest supporters, after all. An attack on him could be-."

"Valorum is well-loved by all the senators," Jinn replied swiftly as he took the pilot's seat. "He has always been a fair leader. He follows the laws to the letter. I doubt anyone would attempt to attack him through Organa. There's too much at stake."

"Could it be money, perhaps?" Obi-Wan shrugged hopefully as he keyed in several commands, and assumed his role as the co-pilot. "Alderaan _does_ sit on a large deposit of valuable minerals, which are used for building ships and space stations." Outside the viewport, the stars began to come into view, as did the shining blue orb that was their destination. A screen to Obi-Wan's left blinked, catching his attention for the moment. He tore his eyes away from the vastness of space for the briefest of moments, and that was all it took.

Their sheep veered dangerously to the right as Qui-Gon jerked the controls hard. Both Jedi Knights let out an audible gasp as Obi-Wan brought his eyes back up from the screen. Were the vast emptiness of space had been before, there was now a massive cylindrical warship. A tall tower shot up from the ship's rear, serving as a command deck, he assumed. Along the prow, high-calibre laser turrets bristled like spines on a tusk cat. Turrets which could rip their unarmed ship to shreds in a few shots, Obi-Wan guessed. "Commerce Guild!" the older Jedi swore as he banked the ship to the left, avoiding a second ship, and allowing them both to see just how many ships had arrived in-system.

Obi-Wan was able to count at least forty ships total. Most of them being similar to the one they had nearly crashed into. But others, about one-third total, were made up of a sphere inside of a half-circle. _Those_ he recognized as belonging to the Trade Federation, and Obi-Wan began to put two and two together. The Commerce Guild was rumored to control a vast amount of wealth. About forty percent of the Republic, in fact. Meanwhile the Trade Federation controlled a vast amount of resources and factories. AN alliance between the two would be a powerful one, to say the least.

"Qui-Gon!" Sifo-Dyas exclaimed as he and Anakin entered the cockpit, both looking extremely frazzled. "What the….oh _Karabast!"_

xxx

Aboard the warship which the Republic cruiser had nearly crashed into, two figures stood in silence, waiting on the third, which appeared as a blue hologram.

The first figure was a male Zabarak. He was tall, even for his species, standing at just over eight feet tall. Thick, sturdy horns formed a crown on his head, making him look like an ancient weapon. Powerful muscles wrapped around his body, coiled like springs on a landmine. His red-and-black skin made him appear devilish in nature, as did the glowing yellow eyes that burned like hot coals in the pale night. It was only appropriate that his name was Darth Maul.

The second was considerably younger. She was a Twi'lek, and at a decade and a half old, she already cut an imposing figure. While she was not as broad-shouldered or well-muscled as her companion, there was something unsettling about her quiet demeanour. Like Maul, she had bloody red skin, with self-applied black tattoos that signalled her allegiance. Her head-tails, which were not yet fully grown, hung down her back like hair, brushing up against the modest black suit that covered everything up to her neck. She was Darth Bellus, Maul's apprentice.

"Lord Sidious," the two Sith Warriors said in unison as they bowed their heads low, both out of respect and out of fear for the dreaded Dark Lord. "We have arrived on Alderaan. Our forces are preparing to land as we speak."

" _Have you disabled all communications?"_ the robed hologram spat snappishly, as he leaned forward.

"Yes, Lord Sidious," Maul replied curtly, as he bowed even lower. "My network of spies disabled the communication towers in Aldera early this morning. And we have now jammed all transmissions to and from the planet," he said, as a wrist-mounted comlink on Bellus's side chirped softly. She quietly slipped away from her master in order to check it. The bridge crew had been given _explicit_ orders to not disturb them unless something absolutely important occurred. And they knew better than to incur her wrath, or her master's. "Our fleet will have the planet blockaded within minutes," Maul continued, oblivious to his apprentice. "No ship will be able to escape our combined firepower," he added in, with a sense of personal glee. Maul lived for the thrill of battle, and of destroying his enemies mercilessly.

"Crush the capitol first," Sidious commanded from across the Galaxy. "Wipe out their military leaders. But _leave_ the Royal family alive," he growled, adding enunciation to the last portion of his command. "Their….cooperation is instrumental to my design. Bring them aboard, and return to my shuttle immediately," Sidious finished with a small sneer.

"Yes, my Lord," Maul replied with a deep tone, "as you-."

"My lords," Bellus said clearly. "A Republic ship has entered our airspace. No identifiable markings," she nodded, "shall I order our ships to open fire?"

"Yes," Maul commanded intently.

"No," Sidious growled forcefully. "An unmarked Republic ship can only mean Jedi. Seize them. Have the droids execute them." His image winked off, and Bellus turned away in order to relay the orders they had been given. However, the unmistakable _Bwa-voom_ sound behind her interrupted the process. She turned, with her hand flying to her hilt, barely igniting her crimson lightsaber in time to parry her master's deft strike. Even though she re-directed his blow, it still felt like a hammer-strike against her guard. If she had been unfamiliar with his strength, the blow would have been more than enough to disarm her. As it was, she only staggered back several steps, in a vain attempt to earn a small reprieve and mount a better defense.

She failed, as a wave of crimson smashed against her sword. Her neck was only saved by a small twist of her arms, which sent Maul's blade cascading slightly left. Bellus brought her blade back up and around, countering Maul's savagery with a deft cut, which the juggernaut of a Sith Warrior avoided easily, and grabbed her by the wrists. With a single tug, he disarmed her, and threw Bellus across the floor of the ship like a rag-doll.

"Perhaps it is time for _another_ lesson, Apprentice," he hissed, with malice and terror in his voice. As he walked towards her, he twirled his blood-red blade around in circles. "Recite our creed," he growled, as Bellus felt the heat of his blade against her neck. " _Now!"_

"Peace is a lie," Bellus replied, with gritted teeth, as she tried to worm her way out of her master's grip. "There is….only passion. Through passion I gain strength. Through strength I gain victory. Through victory my chains are broken. The force shall set us free," she spat, finally feeling the weight of her master's boot lifting from her back. She stood, calling her fallen lightsaber to her hands with the force. No sooner had she wrapped her fingers around it than Maul was swinging for her head once more. She ducked, and activated her blade again, narrowly missing his midsection and twirling around in a perfect circle. Her balance was impeccable as she parried another blow from Maul's blade.

"You have learned much, young one," her master said, taunting her with a twisted praise. "But never forget who the master is. _I_ am the master. You are the apprentice. _My_ word is law! Order our troops to pull that ship in," he hissed as he sheathed his blade, smiling as he did so. "So that we may give the Jedi the _pleasure_ of meeting the force, firsthand."

"Yes Master," Bellus replied, as she bowed her head low, allowing her head-tails to flop forward awkwardly.

xxx

"It's no use!" Qui-Gon growled as he pushed hard against the controls with all his might. "We're caught in the tractor beam! I'll burn the engines out before we break free," he said, resigning himself to their fate. "I'm open to suggestions here!" All four Jedi exchanged looks around the cabin, hoping the other had an answer. However, only one spoke up.

"We let them take us," Anakin said softly, so softly that only his master heard him at first. "We let them take the ship. Think they won," he said, clarifying himself as he grew bolder with his words. "It's a large enough of a ship that it'll take them some time to search it. We can cut through the floor," he said, as he pointed downwards. All three masters followed his finger ass Anakin continued, "and make a break for one of their ships in the hangar before they have time to scramble security."

"Security will already be on their way," Sifo-Dyas replied as he clasped his metal arm against Anakin's shoulder. "But the boy does have a point. If we can make it to a ship, we can break free. The tractor beam won't be active again for a few minutes. So we'll need something fast."

"And well-armoured," Obi-Wan noted, "given the look of those turrets. We've got thirty seconds," he said, as they all eyed the approaching hangar, which was already filling up with small, skeletal droids. Most likely for security, ordered to bring them in, or shoot them on the spot. Neither outcome suited the Jedi's mission, however. They all knew there was no time for a prolonged engagement. An engagement which Obi-Wan knew would put his apprentice in unnecessary danger, given his relative inexperience in the field.

"There!" Qui-Gon said as he pointed into the hangar, "the Gunship! It's our only hope!"

"Aye!" Sifo-Dyas agreed, as he whipped out his long-handled lightsaber, and ignited its blazing orange light. "Move!" he shouted, as he began to cut a circle into the floor of the cockpit. "Make a beeline for that shuttle! Jinn, man the controls!" he roared as the floor gave out beneath them. Obi-Wan dropped first, his blue blade singing to life just in time to deflect a barrage of laser-fire. A bolt snapped past his head as his former master dropped down beside him, and joined in his efforts to defend their position, long enough for Anakin and Sifo-Dyas to drop down and join them.

"Now!" Qui-Gon roared, and they sprinted off towards the waiting ship. A second later, the ship they had arrived on exploded in a ball of fire. Only Anakin stumbled from the ensuing shockwave, bt he as quick to recover. The droids, which Obi-Wan recognized as being B-1 Battle-droids, turned in unison, firing their guns as they did so, attempting to shoot the Jedi down before they got within Lightsaber range.

They didn't.

Obi-Wan moved with the grace of flowing water. He moved from droid to droid, slicing each one in two with perfect precision. His technique was perfect. He stretched a hand out and a squad of droids flew backwards, crashing into one another. He was emboldened by the presence of the great Masters at his side. A quick twirl and he planted his blade in the centre of a droid's processor. With a reversal of his wrist, he sliced the heads off of two more.

"Come on!" Dyas roared as he tore open the hatch that led to the gunship. "More clankers incoming! Move, Kenobi! Skywalker!"

xxx

"Imbeciles!" Maul roared as he used the force to throw his commanding officer against the wall. They had not performed a rudimentary scan of the interior of the Republic ship. Such a scan would have revealed that there were _four_ Jedi aboard, not one or two like they had already assumed and prepared for. Now, the Jedi were quickly making their way towards a gunship stored in the Hanger. Rocket launchers were not going to reach them in time. And the few remaining droids didn't have the firepower or the intelligence to bring the ship down on their own. That only left one conceivable option. "Bellus, where are you!" he shouted as he sprinted into the corridor, towards the aforementioned hanger.

"Sixty seconds away from the ship!" she replied over the comlink. "I can stop it, Master! Long enough for you to destroy it!" she panted, as Maul turned down yet another corridor, knowing that he was at least ninety seconds away from the action, and that was if he pressed himself. He cursed himself for not having brought a contingent of warriors from his native tribe on Dathomir. Then he remembered that almost all members of his tribe were dead. Murdered by members of the very same sect as those he was trying to catch.

"Be sure that you do!" Maul growled as he switched channels, broadcasting a message ship-wide, "launch the fighters from A and D deck! I don't want any chances taken!"

" _Yes sir!"_ a cold, mechanical voice replied, completely devoid of any emotion.

"Master, I suggest we warm up the guns!" Bellus's voice said over the comm. "Our fighters may not be enough, if the Jedi are skilled enough!"

"Do it!" Maul commanded, as he finally reached the hangar. With a single glance, he took in everything. He saw the mess of droid parts that was the ship's security force. He saw the Republic cruiser. He saw his Apprentice with her hands outstretched, obviously using the force to hold the stolen Gunship back, keeping it from escaping. The strain on her body was very apparent, as was the sheer amount of power she was displaying. But he knew it would not be enough.

The gunship was edging forward, ever so slowly, even as the ramp was still raising itself. Again, held back by the force.

Maul did the only thing he could think of, and leaped high into the air, drawing his crimson blade with a fell swoop. He landed on the ramp of the Gunship, and swung for the nearest head. His intended target was a human male with brown hair. But his blade was intercepted by a blazing orange one. An older male, with a cybernetic arm pushed him back a step. Maul swung again, aiming to cut for the man's midsection, but he was denied that opportunity by the man's swift parry and a quick stab. Maul stepped back out of the way, allowing the Jedi to swing his blade better, coming in with a swift, powerful strike over his head.

Instead of doing the sensible thing and sidestepping the strike, Maul stepped forward and locked blades with the Jedi. They were so close their hilts were almost touching.

" _Sith!"_ the Jedi sneered as he began to push Maul back with a surprising amount of strength.

" _Jedi!"_ Maul growled back, only now realizing how vulnerable he was at the moment. He had been too arrogant and assumed he would be able to overpower his enemies quickly. But now, he knew he had met an equal. And while he relished the thought of combat. He yearned for fighting opponents who could match his skill. But he was outnumbered, and surrounded. He was lucky that the brown-haired Jedi had not drawn his blade yet. Perhaps he was afraid of hitting the older Jedi, or the younger one. Either way, he was still in danger.

"Anakin!" the brown-haired Jedi yelled, "Now!" the younger two Jedi waved their hands, and Maul was thrown backwards with an incredible amount of force. He flew out of the ship, and crashed onto the floor of the flagship.

xxx

"Anakin, now!" his master shouted, snapping the young apprentice out of his stupor and back into the real world. He saw Master Sifo-Dyas engaging the Sith Warrior at close range. His first thought was to charge in with his lightsaber. But he then realized that he would be cut down in seconds. So instead, he followed his Master's order, and reached out with the Force. He reached as deep as he could as his hand waved through the air, pushing the Sith away from the ship.

He reached deeper than he intended to. He was immersed in the force, like he always wanted to be. Like Master Yoda was always instructing them too.

 _Two warriors stood on a narrow bridge. One was tall, imposing and covered in thick black armour from head to foot. In his hand he held a crimson lightsaber. Set against him was a younger man. His clothes were torn and tattered, and he held a blue lightsaber. The bridge they were on spanned over a seemingly bottomless pit. They both swung their weapons at one another. But it was clear that the Sith was the better duelist. His blows struck the Jedi's defenses with the strength of a Rancor._

 _Slowly but surely, the Jedi was being driven back. Though not for lack of trying. What he clearly lacked in skill he made up for in inventiveness and cunning. He even managed to get in a good shot on the Sith's armoured shoulder. But it was all in vain. He was driven back, onto a small tower that jutted out from the end of the bridge. And with a quick riposte, the Sith disarmed the young Jedi, at the wrist._

 _"_ _There is no escape," The Sith Lord stated plainly, in a cold, dark tone. "Don't make me destroy you."_

"Someone on those guns!" Master Qui-Gon snapped from the pilot's chair. "Dyas! Kenobi! Now! Skywalker, with me!" Anakin did as he was told, and slid into the copilot's seat, understanding that he was just sitting in for Sifo-Dyas, who was a better gunner than he was. Though Anakin was by no means a bad pilot. He was certain that he would be able to fly the gunship on his own, just not through the hornet's nest of Starfighters in their path. "Hang on!" the older Jedi shouted, as they were soon surrounded on all sides by flat starships and laser fire.

"Think she'll hold?" Sifo-Dyas's voice asked from one of the turrets.

"She'll have too!" Obi-Wan replied from the other turret, "Master, make the jump to Hyperspace now!"

"There's no Hyperdrive," Qui-Gon replied sternly, "we'll have to go planetside and find a ship."

"Are. You. Insane?" Sifo-Dyas asked, as Qui-Gon performed a barrel-roll, avoiding a trio of Starfighters, who crashed into the four that had been tailing them. 'The mission is-."

"Still our priority!" Jinn snapped back, as he ducked the gunship underneath a larger cruiser. "Alderaan won't be able to fend for themselves. The Royal family will be dead or captured within the hour!" he said, as he shot past the last cruiser, and the ship began to rattle and shake violently. "Are we hit?"

"Negative!" Obi-Wan replied, "the Sith must have done more damage than we thought! Our engines are beginning to shake loose!"

"Hold it steady as long as possible!" Jinn snapped, "we're about to enter the atmosphere!"


	2. Jedi Crash

"Hang on!" Qui-Gon Jinn blurted s their ship sliced through the upper atmosphere of the planet. From his safe place inside the ship, the Jedi Master could see flames beginning to engulf the ship. Not a good sign. All he could do was hope that the heat shields held up, or they would be cooked before they broke through the clouds.

With sweaty palms, Qui-Gon held tightly to the ship's controls, willing it to stay on-course. He tightened his fingers around the controls, pushing with all his strength as the ship continued to rattle and shake. Not helped at all by the amount of damage the Sith Lord had done to the main engines. Re-entry at this speed would be difficult enough, even with a fully-functioning engine. He was familiar enough with the Commerce Guild-style ships to know their maneuvering capabilities and limits, which was extremely helpful. What he knew he didn't know was how they were going to get off the planet once they touched down. Because there was no way that the ship would ever be anything more than spare parts after they landed.

If they landed.

Sparks began to fly from the control console, forcing Qui-Gon to bring one hand to his face out of pure reflex. And the ship's trajectory paid the price. They began to drop at an alarming rate as he tried to fix the problem. But all his efforts were met with singeing sparks from the console. He needed to re-route the power, from the main engine to the afterburners. If he did his math right, that would give him one-hundred and twenty seconds to fix the electrical problem in the console. The main problem was that there was no way he'd be able to make the switch, get underneath the console, were the access panel was in less than thirty seconds. And he knew that fixing the wiring would take him the entre one-hundred and twenty seconds. There wasn't enough time for him to do it safely. So he needed help.

"Anakin!" Qui-Gon commanded the young Jedi in the co-pilot's seat, "Get under the console! Access the panel when I tell you!" he said as his hand floated above the button which would turn off the main engines, and turn on the afterburners. "Re-route the power, one of the wires is damaged. You have exactly two minutes," he heaved deeply as he began to count down in his mind. He sincerely hoped that the boy had at least some knowledge of a ship's electrical systems. As a Master, Qui-Gon had always implored the other Jedi to instruct their students in basic mechanical work. It was essential for most survival situations.

"Yes, Master Jinn," Anakin replied swiftly, as he slid out of his seat and under the metal console. "Ready!"

"Now!" Qui-Gon snapped, as he pressed the button. Immediately, the ship began to accelerate rapidly as it tripled it's speed. Flames engulfed the front of the ship as they began to enter the lower atmosphere. Forty seconds went by, and sweat began to form on Jinn's brow. Another twenty, and he was sweating all over, until at least the console stopped sparking and lit up green across the board. Qui-Gon flipped back to the main engines, causing the ship to rapidly decelerate and a large, pulpy crash to come from above them.

"What in the name of the Force was that for?" Sifo-Dyas growled from the gunner's seat.

"Minor engine malfunction," Qui-Gon replied snappishly as he once more wrestled with the controls. Out of the corner of the view port, he could see a trio of Starfighters closing in from the left. Their markings were incredibly similar to the ones on the ship they were flying, so he knew that they were hostiles, way before they opened fire on their aft side. "Hold on!" he shouted, "I'll try and shake them!" Qui-Gon had a lot of faith in his own skills as a pilot. They had been developed carefully over the past five decades of his life. And during the last war, he had flown a Starfighter into the heart of many Enemy fleets, especially during the battles of Hoth and Dathomir, and come out unscathed.

But this was not one of those situations. He was not flying his preferred style of ship. He was only vaguely familiar with the capabilities of the ship he _was_ flying. And he was certainly past his prime.

He twisted the control hard, going into a tight barrel-roll and narrowly avoiding a barrage of shots from the lead fighter. That ship was sleeker than the others, as well as better armoured, which lead Qui-Gon to believe that it was a squadron leader of sorts. And definitely not a droid fighter, given the amount of skill it displayed. The lead ship came around in a perfect loop, attempting to line up a good shot. But Jinn was better. Guided by the force, the elder Jedi was able to narrowly avoid the barrage of corresponding fire.

What he did not anticipate was the arrival of seven more ships. He reacted as quickly as possible, spinning the ship around in tight circles as he shot towards the capitol city of Aldera. But the enemy fire grew ever more accurate. Combined with the stress the ship had received from the Sith Lords, it was only a matter of time before…. _BOOM!_ The right wing was soon engulfed in smoke, as it was shredded by a turbo-laser. The left wing soon gave out, and their ship began to careen downwards towards the lush jungle canopy.

xxx

" _Please return to your homes,"_ a cool, computer-generated voice said calmly over a loudspeaker. Of course, the screaming public below ignored it. _"The situation is under control. Please return to your homes."_ Again, no one paid it any heed. Parents screamed for children. Lovers searched for one another. Mass panic had engulfed the entire city, in less than a few minutes. Desperate security forces tried to keep the calm, but they were simply overwhelmed by the sheer number of citizens.

Not to mention the gigantic battle-cruisers hanging above the city were making things ten times worse. Three such ships floated in a triangle pattern around the Capitol building, while smaller transports spilled out of their hangar bays like locusts. The Troop carriers landed around the perimeter of the city, boxing the citizens in with absolute ease. It was very clear to anyone that whoever was in charge of taking the city knew what they were doing.

A few hundred security officers and police hastily erected a barricade along the main street using overturned durasteel bins and a few speeders, and that drew the attention of one particular dropship. It was coloured differently than the others. Strange markings marked its hull. To some, it resembled a skull. To others, it looked like a legendary beast of legend. Others, however knew what it really meant.

Out of the dropship twenty-five soldiers spilled out, all of them wearing different coloured armour. But to the elderly and the scholarly, that was more than enough. The warriors where unmistakable, from their T-shaped visors to the rockets strapped to their backs. They were Mandalorian Warriors. The toughest of the tough. They were rumored to never have been defeated in a war. They were the only warriors in the known universe capable of killing Jedi Knights in single combat.

Two Mandalorians even had Jedi Lightsabers hanging around their belts. One such warrior, with greyish-blue armour had a single blade strapped to her belt, while two more hung around a green-armoured warrior. Other trinkets hung around the warrior's armour as well, signifying notable kills. A Zabrak horn. A tuft of Wookie fur. Trophies of war.

The Blue armoured female held up a hand, pointing three fingers to her left. Accordingly, three of her compatriots swept to that side, and three more veered left. One more came up the centre, holding a portable mortar launcher, which he aimed towards the rudimentary barricade. He fired a single shot, decimating the speeders and bins, and scattering the men and women who had tried to fight back. A few raised small blasters and fired on the Mandalorians, but they were quickly cut down by efficient blaster fire.

The Female, whose name was Bo-Katan, signalled to her troops to cease fire as she holstered her blaster. "Fan out," she commanded with a high, clear voice. "Eliminate any who resist. Fett," she said as he turned towards her young second-in-command. The green-armoured warrior with two lightsaber trophies, "pick six and follow me. We'll be making the run for the palace. Lord Bellus wants the Royal Family alive."

"Lord Maul ordered us to kill them on sight," Fett replied coolly as he slung his long rifle over his shoulder. "The King and Queen, at least. The Prince-."

"We are under _Bellus's_ command," Katan barked back with clear authority. "And _you_ are under mine. And _I_ am under your _Father's._ You follow my orders," she continued with a hefty grin under her helmet, knowing that Fett was displaying many of the same qualities that his Father had displayed before he had taken the title of Mandalore from his predecessor. "Move out," she said crisply, as Fett hand-picked their best warriors. All men and women that Katan would have picked herself. The red-haired commander smiled to herself as the eight soldiers tore off towards the palace, eager to complete their objective.

xxx

"That…." Obi-Wan groaned as he pulled himself out of the twisted wreck that was their ship. "Could have gone better," he said as he rolled his right shoulder, feeling a slight twinge of pain in it. He had bashed his side against the port turret when they hit landfall. Luckily, nothing felt like it was broken, just bruised. And Obi-Wan knew he was the best off, as he looked towards his fellow Jedi. Sifo-Dyas was sporting a bloody nose and a black eye. Qui-Gon was walking with a small limp. And Anakin….well he had something in his eyes, something that Obi-Wan chalked up to the shock of being confronted by a Sith Lord, then experiencing a harrowing descent into the atmosphere of Alderaan.

"Any landing you can walk away from," Sifo-Dyas chuckled as he motioned towards the large gash their ship had carved in the Earth. "Is a happy one, Kenobi. I remember my last visit to Endor's moon," the elder Jedi grinned as he wiped the blood from his face. "Sank a speeder into the root of a tree. The root," he said as he spread his arms apart, "was as thick around as a Wookie is tall. Barely made it off the blasted thing in time."

"It's a day's walk to the Capitol," Qui-Gon inserted, as he looked over the horizon. "Maybe Half a day's if we hoof it. An hour on Speeders," he continued as he stroked his small beard. "This area is fresh farmland. I'm more than willing to bet we can find a local who'll be able to provide us with transport."

" _If_ they're still here," Obi-Wan noted, as he pointed towards the black blotches hovering above the shimmering line that was the city of Aldera. "I think most will be making their way towards the spaceports, trying desperately to get off-world."

"Let's hope they do," Anakin remarked as he leaned against the hull of the crashed ship. "Better to be out in the stars than here when the troops arrive."

"The blockade will shoot down any ships attempting to leave the system," Qui-Gon replied sternly as he furrowed his brow, something which he did often when he was attempting to solve a problem. "Better that they stay grounded until we can send word to the Senate and the Council. Then, they'll be able to send in a fleet." He turned back to Obi-Wan and Sifo-Dyas and continued with, "our priority will still be to get the Royal Family out safely. _Then_ we can work on getting transport off this planet. Or a message, at least," he said, gravely. Obi-Wan knew that tone of voice very well, he had heard it a great many times while working with the esteemed Jedi Master. "Anakin, Obi-Wan, I want you two to sort through the wreckage, look for anything we can take with us and use. Dyas," he said, turning to his old friend, "we'll have a look around, see if we can spot a local farm or small town. It's getting dark," he added in, "so we'd better not linger here for too long. We'll also need to find shelter before long."

"The ship would make an excellent shelter," Sifo-Dyas pointed out with a shrug. "Insulated. It'll protect us from the elements and….. _the tracking beacon,"_ he said, as he pressed his metal palm into his face. "They might find it!"

"Exactly," Qui-Gon replied as he pointed to a rock outcropping in the distance. "That cliff looks like it'd be a good camp. There's likely a few caves for us to sleep in, and that'll make it difficult for radar to find us." With that, he and Sifo-Dyas turned and left. Within a few minutes, they were nowhere to be seen. And that left Obi-Wan alone with his Padawan for the first time since they had left the Temple. _Now_ he was free to discuss the fear he saw behind his student's eyes.

"The Sith Lords," Obi-Wan said softly, as the two of them searched the ship's remains together. "They're unnerving, aren't they?"

"I thought they were all wiped out," Anakin stated in a matter-of-fact tone, causing Obi-Wan to sigh. "During the siege of Dathomir. That's what the temple records say."

"That was their last stronghold," Obi-Wan said tentatively with a small nod. Though Master Yoda had been Obi-Wan's primary teacher, the diminutive Jedi master was sometimes called away on matters that were either too dangerous for a Padawan, or too important. So, on those occasions, Qui-Gon Jinn, himself a former apprentice of Yoda, took Obi-Wan on missions, and filled in the gaps in Obi-Wan's training. After all, for all his mastery of the force, Yoda was by no means an accomplished pilot, or experienced with dealing with the underworld. Not to mention that in the Jedi Master's very advanced age of eight-hundred and seventy-five years old, training a Padawan in the use of a lightsaber was almost out of the picture. That was where Qui-Gon Jinn had filled in for him.

And during that time, Obi-Wan had come to know a few things about that particular battle that very few Jedi, even members of the council, did not. Which was saying something. "It wasn't a siege, however, Padawan. It was a rout," he breathed heavily, remembering the very moment he had bravely asked Qui-Gon about it. "A Sith Enclave numbering at about One-Thousand versus Two-Thousand Jedi Knights and Twenty Thousand Republic ships. It was hardly a fair battle, but the Sith put up a fight," he continued, telling Anakin the same story every Jedi Master told his Padawan at some point. "The Battle lasted for three weeks. Orbital strikes were useless, once they retreated into the caves. That was when the ground assault reached its peak. In the end, only half of the Jedi who participated in the Battle survived to see the end. And the Senate wanted the victory to be absolute, so they broadcasted our victory over the holonet. Qui-Gon and Sifo-Dyas, the only two Jedi who survived the duel with Darth Plageuis himself, were _forced_ to regurgitate the rumor that the Sith had been exterminated."

"But they were," Anakin replied hastily. "No one could have escaped-."

"Since then," Obi-Wan corrected him, "there have been three Sith sightings. One was killed on Sullust by Master Sifo-Dyas. Another killed herself before we could capture her, and the final one was brought to us by a young Mandalorian. They haven't gone extinct yet, Padawan," he said gravely, as the two of them searched the hull of the ship. "Merely scattered to the stars. Perhaps the two we encountered are the last of the order. Perhaps not." He finished, as he found a pair of rangefinders, which had been discarded in a locked box, opened by the crash of the ship.

"These could be useful," Anakin shrugged as he held up three flares, as well as a hydro-spanner. Obi-Wan flashed his apprentice a quick smile as he got to his feet, knowing that they should leave before long. He signalled this to the younger Jedi as he noticed several dark blotches in the sky turning towards them. Scouts, no doubt. Sent to check on the crash before it got dark. Which it would soon. The two of them tore off into the long grass in no time at all, using the Force to augment their strides and stamina. Though Obi-Wan had to slow down considerably, in order to keep his Padawan in his line of sight.

xxx

"Get your _hands_ off me!" Bail Organa distinctly heard his younger sister, Padmé Organa shout as she was dragged forcefully into the Throne room. And he was conflicted. One part of him wanted her to fight against their Mandalorian captors with all her strength. But another part of him realized that course of action would get her killed. Appalled, he watched as the savage warriors thrust her, and her four handmaidens to the ground. He didn't want to think about what had happened to her bodyguards. "I said-!"

"Ease up, Princess," a green-armoured Mandalorian hissed as he passed by Bail. "You've got company coming. Mommy and Daddy wouldn't be too pleased with your behavior," the man sneered as he leaned in close to her face. Too close, in Bail's mind. He forcefully jerked against his captors, earning both a rifle butt to his back and the Commander's attention. "and keep in mind that we only need _one_ member of the Royal Family alive to….. _legalize_ this….situation," he said as he brought his blaster rifle to bear on Bail's head. Bail, however, did not avert his gaze. He was better than that. He was Bail, of the house of Alderaan. Prince of his people. A proud descendant of many wise and powerful monarchs. He would not bow down to such _crude_ bullies. No one in his family would.

"Point that thing somewhere else, _Boba,"_ a cool, female voice snapped as a blue armour wearing soldier entered. Based on how the other Mandalorians reacted to her presence, she was the one in charge. "We already lost the Queen to the initial assua-."

" _NO!"_ Padmé cried out as she slipped from her restraints and darted forward, obviously trying to hit the female commander. The commander simply tilted her head as the Princess reared back her fist, and delivered a punch to the commander's helmet. The resulting _crack_ told Bail that the commander wasn't harmed at all, and that his younger sister's hand was definitely broken. Padmé recoiled her hand in pain as she slumped down to the ground, sobbing uncontrollably as the doors to the palace opened wide.

Seven silhouettes entered. Four where carrying blaster rifles, and were unmistakably more Mandalorians. Two more, Bail noticed, were red-skinned aliens. One was a Zabrak Male, the other a Twi'lek female. The male's black robes flowed down his thick muscles crisply, but there was an air of rage on his face. As he approached, Bail felt himself getting physically colder, and he wondered if the Zabrak had something to do with that. He was very terrifying, after all. The final figure was his Father, King Veel Organa, a man late in his years, with long flowing white hair.

Immediately Veel rushed towards his daughter, comforting her injured hand with soothing words. His purple cape fell to the floor as he helped her back up, before he was forcefully torn away from them both.

"Savages!" Veel roared against his captors. "Absolute savagery! What could Alderaan have _possibly_ done to-!"

"What has Alderaan done?" the Zabrak hissed with a voice that was like cold steel. " _What has Alderaan done?_ The crime committed by your people is simple," he mocked confidently as he paced around the King. Bail wanted his proud father to turn tail and run as fast as possible. There was no way that the Zabrak's presence would end well for them. "Your Planet has stood by and watched as whole systems have become rotten from within. Criminal gangs use your spaceports to further their own goals!" he growled as he clenched his fist in rage, "corrupt politicians sour the land with bribery and lies! Your crime, King Veel," the Zabrak snarled one last time, "is serving a Republic too weak to protect anyone but itself!"

"The Galactic Republic has stood for a thousand years!" King Veel roared as he stood to his full height, still shorter than the Zabrak, but somehow bigger than any in the room. "I am proud to stand by their side, as are the rest of my people! We will not falter before a gang of bullies and brutes!" he pressed his hand against the red-skinned tormentor as he continued, "The Jedi Knights will-!" _Snap-hiss!_ A crimson beam of light stabbed straight out from the Zabrak's hand, slicing clean through the King's heart in an instant.

Padmé cried out in pain.

Bail roared with rage.

The Zabrak merely chuckled as the King's lifeless corpse fell to the ground, a smouldering hole where his heart had been.

xxx

"A Master and an Apprentice," Sifo-Dyas muttered as the two of them made their way through the tall Alderaanian grass. "That's something we haven't seen for a long time. Not since-."

"Not since Dathomir, I know," Qui-Gon replied with a disturbed tone of voice. Both Jedi were thinking the same thing. They both knew that Plageuis's apprentice had never actually been found, despite what the official records said. It had been said apprentice who cut off Dyas's arm, after all. And Qui-Gon knew that his old friend was eager for some well-deserved payback. "It could have been a fluke, my friend. We mustn't leap to conclusions without investigating further." He ran a hand through his greying hair as he perked his ears. He could almost hear something around them, but he couldn't quite place it. Perhaps it was just the situation around them playing on his senses. "Yoda will know what to do, once we contact him."

"The little green imp always seems to know everything," Sifo-Dyas chuckled as he made his way over a fallen tree. "Especially since he….well _got back."_

"You know what happened to the last Padawan to call him that," Jinn replied with a small grin hinting at the edge of his mouth. "I don't believe Kota has ever been the same since that punishment."

"Has Yoda ever told you what he saw?" Sifo-Dyas asked as they reached the treeline. Trunks thicker than a man's torso surrounded them on all sides. The ground was littered with fallen leaves, most of which had been crushed by a large animal, it seemed. "On his journey? He's very closed off about it, but you two have always been close."

"He only told me what I needed to know," Jinn replied hastily with a small wave of his hand. He looked down, and noticed just how many of the leaves and branches had been trampled in the area. Obviously it was a well-traversed piece of land. Perhaps they would be able to find a road, or a sign which would point them to a settlement. "Besides, we have much more pressing concerns. Like the fact that I saw at least one Mandalorian fighter pursuing us." Both men exchanged a knowing look with one another. Mandalorians were some of the toughest warriors in the known Galaxy. And their involvement meant trouble. More trouble than they were already dealing with.

"Yet another reason we need to contact the capitol," Dyas sighed deeply, "to send us a regiment so we can….now _this_ is interesting," he paused as he leaned down. Qui-Gon followed his lead, and found himself staring at a large pile of feces. Not exactly what he'd call interesting. In fact, it was downright _repulsive._ "This is fresh," Sifo-Dyas muttered as he took a whiff of the dung. "A few minutes old, I'd say. And from a large animal. Large enough to feed four Jedi." Something clicked in Qui-Gon's head as he realized what his friend was getting at. They both knew that none of them would be in the right state to infiltrate the capitol on an empty stomach, even if they made it all the way there. And that wasn't even accounting for the presence of two Sith, and a host of the galaxy's toughest soldiers. Jinn's stomach growled in protest of his apparent hunger, as he realized that he hadn't eaten since before they left the temple. "Quadrupeds. At least ten of them. Very large too," Dyas finished with a sigh, as Qui-Gon spotted the beasts his friend was referring too.

"Nerfs," he said as he pointed to a small outcropping, where the aforementioned animals stood, grazing. They were rather large, almost as long as the average speeder bike, and well over six feet at the shoulders. They were immensely fat, which told the Jedi Master that they were well-fed, and would feed them for a few days at the very least. A good thing, if they had to wait for reinforcements to arrive.

However, before Qui-Gon could do anything, he felt the barrel of a blaster rifle being pushed against his back. Sifo-Dyas spun around, with his hand flying to the hilt of his double-bladed lightsaber, until a voice cut him off.

"Hands were I can see them," a young male growled, "or I'll blast your friend here."

"Who are you?" Qui-Gon asked, undeterred by the rifle aimed at him.

"Owen Lars," the young man grunted, "and you two are gonna tell me _exactly_ what the hell is going on here."


	3. Occupation

"Masters Qui-Gon and Sifo-Dyas should have been back by now," Anakin sighed as he looked out over the darkened landscape. The sun had set well over two hours ago, and there hadn't been any sign of either Jedi Master. Or any life, for that matter, save for a flock of birds off in the distance, and the dim lights of the city far off in the distance.

"Have patience, Padawan," Obi-Wan said soothingly as he stoked the small fire they had started.

"Something could have happened to them," Anakin replied as he pulled out the set of Rangefinders he had salvaged from the ship. Normally, they would be used for targeting areas for an orbital bombardment, but they worked well enough for their current needs.

The vantage point that they had made camp at was better than anyone could have hoped. It offered a clear view of the city, while still being at a fair distance. No one would be able to see them unless they really looked hard. _And_ the rock face provided an excellent shield from all of the scans that the cruisers would be preforming, obviously looking for any signs of resistance from the local farmers and village-people. Obi-Wan had seen it before, in the holo-records of the first Sith War. The Empire had conquered an entire system, only to be thrown out of it by a small alliance of local planetary militias uniting under a single banner.

That alliance had been the foundation of the Republic.

"If they had been attacked," Obi-Wan chuckled warmly, "then at the very least, I'd expect one or two of those cruisers to be falling to the ground. You forget," he said with a small smile. "They are the two most skilled warriors in our order. And the most experienced. We are lucky to have them on our side. This _planet_ is lucky to have them here."

"But Master," Anakin replied, "Jedi are not infallible. What if-?"

"There are a thousand 'what-if's', my young Padawan," Obi-wan smiled as he stoked the small fire with a makeshift prod. "What if Master Yoda hadn't sent us here. What if this is all a trap. What if I die tomorrow. None of those matter," he said as he inhaled deeply, and closed his eyes as he entered a light meditative state. He opened himself to the vastness of the force for a brief moment, returning himself to the early days of his training, when he had asked Master Yoda the very same questions. At the time, he had believed that his master was being purposefully difficult. Now he knew differently.

There was no great secret to learn. All one had to do to understand the reality of a situation was accept that it was what it was, and move on from that. Worrying about what might have been, or what might be was merely a distraction that a Jedi could not afford.

"On your feet, young one," Obi-Wan said calmly as he opened his eyes and obeyed his own command. Anakin gave him a single, questioning look that lasted until Kenobi drew out his lightsaber. His silvery-blue blade hummed to life in the night air. A quick adjustment on the hilt set the otherwise deadly blade to 'stun' as Anakin's own crystal blade sprung to life. Obi-Wan cracked a small smile as he watched his Apprentice's stance carefully. He was in perfect balance. His right foot was forward, and his blade was held at a diagonal angle. A perfect guard meant to defend against both blaster fire and melee attacks. But unlike Obi-wan's more reserved stance, Anakin's had a more aggressive feel. He was like a Dragon waiting to strike.

That seemed to be Anakin's mindset in a duel. To lie in wait for his opponent to make a move, and strike back with devastating power. And obviously, the smart thing to against such a stance was to wait. So Obi-Wan did the one thing Anakin did not expect. He struck first, bringing his lightsaber down in an overhead arc, aiming for his apprentice's head. The blow would never hit, Obi-Wan knew that much. He watched as Anakin's whole body seemed to twitch slightly, and the young man changed the angle of his own lightsaber so that it parried the blow with minimal effort. But Kenobi was more than prepared for that little setback, and shifted his balance to his back foot as Anakin swept his blade horizontally, mocking a strike to Obi-Wan's abdomen.

Of course he missed thanks to the older Jedi's preparation, and was seemingly left off-balance, which Obi-Wan decided to point out with a cleaving left-to-right slash. Anakin responded with a panicked block, locking their blades together.

"Your stance is impeccable young one," Obi-wan complimented him with grace, as he gently pushed his blade closer to Anakin's shoulder. "Your skills are growing. You are a finer warrior now than I was at your age," he continued, working his way into Anakin's psyche with ease. It was a technique all masters used on their Padawans. It had certainly proved effective against Kenobi during his tender years under Yoda.

"Thank you master," Anakin replied eagerly, as he began to push Obi-Wan's blade back with surprising force. "I have been training hard, Master."

"And it shows," the elder Jedi remarked as he twitched his finger ever so slightly, raising a small log from beside the fire into the air. The log was not burning, nor very large, but it would serve it's purpose. With another flick of his finger, Obi-Wan sent the log directly into his apprentice's back. Or he tried to, at least. Anakin was much faster than he had anticipated, and managed to sweep his hand around, force-pushing the log back against the wall of the cliff. "Impressive."

"You haven't seen _anything_ yet master," Anakin slyly quipped as he vaulted backwards momentarily, before spring-boarding off the ground, then the wall of the cliff before landing behind Obi-Wan. Normal beings would never be able to accomplish such a feat, of course. But through the Force, a Jedi was able to augment their physical capabilities far beyond their normal limits. Indeed, Obi-Wan had once witnessed Mace Windu, the second-in-command of the Jedi Council, leap from the ground onto a departing starship over three hundred feet in the air.

And it was long rumored that Master Kit Fisto could move fast enough to dodge blaster fire at point-blank range. Though only for short periods of time, and the experience usually left him exhausted and drained of energy. Bringing his saber around, Obi-Wan's mind snapped back into the fight as he deftly parried Anakin's blow. A furious, but friendly exchange ensued as both Master and Apprentice attempted to overcome the other's defenses.

While there was absolutely no doubt that Obi-Wan was the more skilled duelist of the two, it was mainly due to his experience. Obi-Wan knew the ins and outs of the majority of Lightsaber fighting styles. He knew that despite his strong Soresu-style teachings, Anakin generally favoured the Djem-so style, which combined defensive manoeuvres with powerful counters and devastating power blows. And when combined with Anakin's inventive thinking, those techniques became even more potent. He would buck and weave his way around enemies, more often than not causing them to hit one another with their own weapons.

So the two were set against one another. Knowledge versus inventiveness. Skill versus intellect. Young versus old. Obi-Wan pressed his advantages of height and leverage against his young Padawan, slashing his blade with calculated strikes. But Anakin responded with explosive manoeuvres. He rolled and ducked around the shining blue sword. He would feign right, then dash left in an attempt to overcome his Master, who remained stoic in his defense. Subtle dodges and deft blade-work made up his style.

He would quickly parry Anakin's descending chops, and turn his momentum into a rapid stab. A stab which Anakin rolled past and countered with a swift upper-cutting strike.

"Be mindful of your surroundings, young one," Obi-Wan said patiently as he locked blades with Anakin once more. "Knowledge of the field can be as advantageous in battle as a Lightsaber."

"Yes Master," Anakin replied as he tried to keep his footing. But Obi-Wan continued to push him back against the wall, until his Apprentice was pinned.

"Using your youth and energy is a great tactic," Obi-Wan complimented him, "but you should always take your surroundings into consideration. A cramped cave may not be the best venue for your fighting style. If you get trapped in a cave against a serious opponent," he continued as he shut off his lightsaber, signalling that their training session was over for the moment. "Then I would suggest keeping both feet on the ground. And always control your environment."

"Yes Master," Anakin replied as the two of them knelt down into meditative poses. Following a practice bout, it was common for Jedi pairs to ease into the force. It helped them to calm their nerves, and to reflect on their mistakes. And even though Obi-Wan was a skilled swordsman, he was able to pick up on several mistakes he himself had made. If Anakin had been keeping proper eye contact, then he may have been able to properly counter Obi-Wan's first strike. A counter which, in a real duel, would have ended things for sure.

But meditation could be used for so much more. He felt himself slip away into the recesses of his surroundings, in particular, into the mind of his young Padawan Learner. He sensed a great amount of turmoil inside him. No doubt from the exhilarating landing, and the brief encounter with the Sith Warriors who had attempted to stall them. Though, Anakin's perception of the Sith seemed to be off somewhat. Instead of the red-skinned Zabrak, there was an image of an armoured, masked nightmare. Perhaps old archive footage was messing with Anakin's memories.

Obi-Wan let out a small sigh as he stretched his mind further in the force. His mind raced across the galaxy, to a shining bright spot in the force.

That shining spot was an individual. A Jedi Knight, like he was. Her name was Siri Tachi. His thoughts brushed up against hers, and he knew that she sensed his presence. They could not communicate with words over such a great distance, but emotions, feelings, those were felt with perfect clarity. He certainly felt a rush of excitement on her end. And because there was none of the tension that came from an intense battle, he knew she was in little danger. Before they left, Siri had been assigned a mission to Kashyyyk, the homeworld of the Wookies. Several of the Chiefs had requested Jedi assistance in eradicating a terrorist cell on the nearby Alaris Prime.

Obi-Wan wasn't worried for her safety. As far as he was concerned, she was more capable than he was. When they had been younglings, she had always scored better in competitions, and had mastered new skills before he could. The only thing he had beaten her at was healing arts, which he always had a knack for. Their connection lasted only a brief few seconds, though the smile on his face lasted longer.

More than long enough for Anakin to take notice and chuckle to himself.

 **…** **.ooOoo….**

"Wakey wakey Princess," a cold voice cut through the darkness as water splashed over her bruised and bloody body. She didn't know how long she had been held captive for. She didn't know what was going on, really. All she really knew was that she wanted to get out of there as quickly as possible. After all, her Brother, or the Republic, would send help eventually. All she had to do was wait, and hope that they weren't too long. She wasn't meant to hold up under torture. She opened her eyes to see four soldiers flanking one Mandalorian commander.

The soldier's armour was different than the Mandalorian's. It was cheaper and obviously mass-produced. All four of the soldiers were also the same height, which unnerved her slightly. Though not nearly as much as the sight of their blasters. Or the fact that she was hanging from chains.

"We need to keep you alive," the Mandalorian woman hissed as she slapped Padme's face with her gloved hand. Normally the blow would have stung. But now it was nothing more than a light tap compared to the pin she felt all over her body. "You're a useful bargaining chip against your brother."

"Bail will _never-"_ Padme hissed, spewing a small amount of blood as she did so, "-submit to your cruelty!"

"Give him time, Princess," the commander replied with a laugh. "Give him enough time. He does seem to care very deeply about _you_ after all. Is there something between-?"

"You disgust me," Padme spat back bitterly, as her hazelnut brown hair cascaded down the side of her face. She looked from the soldiers towards the commander once more, forcing herself to appear in control of the situation. Because, _damnit,_ she was an _Organa!_ She came from a long line of powerful, respected leaders! The commander merely chuckled as she removed her helmet, letting a short crop of reddish hair fall freely as a sneer crossed her lips. Padme's eyes immediately flew towards the long scar running down the woman's cheek.

"Kryat Dragon," the Mandalorian chuckled as she traced a finger down the scar. "Savage beast nearly gored me. But now its head is mounted on my wall," she finished with a grin as she snapped her fingers. At her command, two of the soldiers stepped forward and released Padme from her shackles. She stumbled forward, of course, once her arms were free. Her arms burned in protest as she tried to pick herself up from the floor. "I wonder, princess," the red-haired Mandalorian cackled, "how many beasts have your manicured hands killed?"

…ooOoo…

"Just up over this ridge," Owen remarked as he gunned the controls on the landspeeder, forcing the transport to go faster over the vast hills. Trees and bushes whizzed past as he broke several local by-laws about speed limits in his rush to get home. Not that any authorities where there to stop him, as they had all fled to the nearest spaceport, or deep underground to the shelters. Not Owen, though. He'd spent the better part of the last three hours ferrying people across his father's land, to the nearest safe-zone.

Which of course, happened to be in his father's home. That was where the largest farmer families for twenty miles had gathered to discuss the warships high above them. Of course, Owen had wanted to join them, but his father had made an excellent point and forced him to go looking for stragglers.

Which was what led to him seeing a ship crash in an open field, and to finding two Jedi Knights wandering the forest. _Jedi!_ He thought to himself with elation, the noble warriors of the Galactic Republic! Brave warriors who so often populated stories whispered around street-corners! Defenders of truth and Justice! If half the stories Owen had heard about them were true, then Alderaan was safe, for sure!

"Get us there as fast as possible," the Zabrak Jedi said calmly, as Owen skimmed over a rock-face. "And keep an eye out for patrols. We don't want to advertise our position."

"Can I ask a question?" Owen asked as he gunned the speeder even faster.

"You already did," the Human Jedi chuckled, "but ask another, if you wish."

"I…" Owen stuttered slightly, "why would anyone invade Alderaan? We're such a peaceful planet, with no standing military and-."

"Well that's just it," the Zabrak replied with a small wave of his hand, "you have no military. And the Republic Navy is too small to have a base here. To be honest," he said as Owen whipped the speeder past a grove of trees. "I'm surprised that this hasn't happened before now, with all the political unrest in the Senate. Not to mention roving bands of Warlords that run amok in the recesses of space."

"Can't the Jedi stop them?" Owen said meekly as his gaze fell on his farmhouse.

"We do," the human Jedi said with a sigh. "Every day. The problem, lad, is that every time we catch one, a few lieutenants escape with goods, men and ships. All things that are needed to start a new criminal empire. It's like trying to catch smoke sometimes."

"And even when we do catch them," the Zabrak added in, "half the time they can pay off the courts and walk away free."

"Sounds frustrating," Owen remarked as he brought the speeder to a halt on the edge of his father's property. Oddly, the lights were out inside the house. When he had left, the place had been full of people trying to organize a response. Most of them were old war veteran friends of his father, who had all moved to Alderaan following the last war. "Odd," Owen whispered as he climbed out of the speeder, and approached the house casually. Something brushed past his arm, and he heard a distinct _click_ sound seconds before something grabbed him from behind and hauled him back over the speeder.

A fraction of a second after he hit the ground blaster fire filled the air. Both Jedi reached for their belts and whipped out cylindrical tubes. The one in the Zabrak Jedi's hand was twice as long as the human's. And both emitted glowing blades. The Human held a green blade, while the Zabrak held an orange blade. In unison, the two Jedi spun and twisted their blades in order to block the incoming fire with perfect precision.

"Stop!" the Human Jedi commanded, "we're Jedi!" The blaster fire stopped, and as the smoke cleared, Owen heard the distinct sound of a mechanical leg whirring and buzzing under the weight of his Father, Cleigg Lars.

Cleigg Lars was a man well into his fifties, and it showed all over his body. His hair was thinning and very grey. He sported a roundish pot-belly which nearly overloaded the prosthetic leg that bore half his weight. The leg had been lost before Owen was born, and Cleigg had never told him how. Tattered clothes covered his body, and a military-grade AR-67 blaster rifle lay in his hands, still smoking from being fired. Cleigg gave the two Jedi a quick once-over before looking towards his shaken son.

"Owen, blast it! I might've shot you!" the older Lars cackled as he slung his rifle over his shoulder. "Get inside, all three of you. No telling where they're looking!" Owen scurried inside the house, past the Jedi, who followed him once they sheathed their lightsabers.

Once inside, he spotted the gaggle of villagers that made up the neighbours. Most prominent among them was Jho, an Ithorian who used a special translator to speak Galactic Basic. Beside him stood Caan, a Duros female who sported a bandage on her forehead. Caan had been near the city's outskirts when the invasion began. And to her far left stood Jak, Mel and Sik, three old friends of his father from the Navy. At the sight of the Jedi Knights, the three immediately snapped to a smart attention.

"General Dyas! General Jinn!" Jak stammered disbelievingly. "Alderaan is safe now!"

"Do we-?" the Zabrak Jedi began to ask.

"We served under you," Mel nodded enthusiastically, "on the _Liberator_ alongside Jedi Commander Tahl. Is she-?"

"No," the Human Jedi replied with a not-so-subtle wave of his hand. "She is one with the Force now."

Cleigg let out a small scuffle as he said, "and what does 'the Force' have to say about all this?"

"Cleigg!" Jho scowled roughly, "let the Jedi speak!"

"Yes, yes," the Zabrak Jedi sighed, "but first, can you send a speeder out to those cliffs? There are two more Jedi waiting there."

"Of course," Cleigg grunted, "Owen, get the-"

"No, we'll go," Mel replied heartily as he stepped forward with Jak. "Owen's done his fair share. And I could use the fresh air."

 **…** **ooOoo…**

"I'll ask you _again,"_ the Sith Lord, Darth Maul, hissed as he circled around Bail, who stood perfectly still. Partially out of the wish to appear strong, but mostly out of fear. " _Prince_ Organa, to sign the declaration of surrender to the Confederacy of Independent Systems. Then we can end this violence, and be on our way!" those last words were spoken directly into Bail's ear, and he could still feel the Sith Lord's hot breath on the back of his neck. Combined with the dark chill he got from merely being in the presence of the Sith, he became weak at the knees. He wanted to buckle down and submit to his demands, but his conscience wouldn't allow that.

"And you'll just _leave_ Alderaan?" Bail hissed back, mustering as much courage as he could and putting it into those words.

"Well my troops will need to replenish our fuel stocks," Maul noted with a small tilt of his head. "And we will need food. And of _course_ I'll be leaving a garrison here, to ensure your continued support of our cause." _There it is,_ Bail grimaced, _an occupation. If I say no, he'll just kill me and replace me with a puppet. Of course, I may wind up being a puppet no matter what…._ He thought to himself as he averted the Sith Lord's terrible gaze.

"And if I refuse?" Bail replied sternly, as twenty troops entered the throne room, led by the Levethan Twi'lek Sith Apprentice. The soldiers all wore identical blackened armour, and carried themselves in a similar manner. But Bail found his eyes being drawn to their unmasked faces. Before, when he had seen them, they had been wearing helmets. Now, he could see identical features on all their faces. If there had only been one or two, then he would have assumed that they were siblings. But to have twenty of them? Something was at work, no doubt about that.

"Magnificent, aren't they?" Maul asked with a grin on his face as he clapped his hand on Bail's shoulder. "Clones, all of them. Superior to droids, and none of the cowardice or insubordination of regular enlisters."

"An abomination," Bail hissed back.

"Two hundred thousand units total," Maul continued, either oblivious or uncaring of Bail's opinion. "All bred from birth for one purpose. To serve the Confederacy. Ten months to grow a clone to maturity," he said as he walked towards the clone soldiers. "To think, Prince….my mistake," Maul mocked as he shook his head, " _King_ Organa, how safe would Alderaan be under their protection? Even with a small garrison to start….say of five thousand, you could hold off any invasion! Your people would be safe!"

Angered by the casual mention of his Father's decent death, Bail couldn't help but spit venom back at the invaders, " _safe!?_ They would never be safe, while your _goons_ occupy our planet!" he roared violently, causing several of the clones to take a step back from him as he fumed. "You _murdered_ my father! You've taken my sister hostage! You're threatening my people with slavery! And you expect me to just roll over and-?" The muscles in his throat contracted on themselves. His lungs became desperate for air as he was hauled upwards by some invisible force. His eyes flashed towards the young Twi'lek, who had her hand outstretched, and bore a menacing expression of pure hate.

" _You,"_ she hissed as she walked towards him, "you are no _King._ You aren't _fit_ for the title!" she roared, as Bail was pushed up against the wall with incredible strength, all the while his gasps for breath becoming more and more desperate. He actively began to claw at his throat, begging for air. "You would leave your people at the mercy of any scum with a fleet! You are a _coward!"_ she bellowed as the grip around his throat ceased, and he dropped to the floor, coughing desperately. "You don't deserve this planet," she said as she bent down and whispered into his ear savagely. Meanwhile, Maul kneeled down on his other side, and spoke in a threatening tone.

"My Master will be arriving shortly," Maul said with a small smirk. "And my brothers. And I would _hate_ for them to arrive under such difficult circumstances. Not to mention…." He continued, in an even lower tone of voice, "what would happen to your dear sister should they be displeased. I can't imagine one so fragile as she is would survive their wrath." A pit formed in the bottom of Bail's stomach as he spoke. Having two Sith on the planet was bad enough. If Maul was telling the truth, more would soon be arriving, and he wasn't up for having them punish his people. Surely they wouldn't survive the ordeal. And if they did, they might turn their anger towards him and the rest of the royal family.

Had the Republic abandoned them? Were they as weak as Maul told him? Was Alderaan really on its own? If that was true, than he certainly had an obligation to his people to give them the best chance for survival. And if that meant swallowing his pride, he would have to endure it. Slowly, he got to his feet and straightened his back. "I will-" he began to say, as the green-armoured Mandalorian burst into the room.

"Lord Maul!" he said hurriedly, "The Jedi were not at the crash site! I dispatched several men to canvass the surrounding area. But I did see tracks leading away from the ship. They survived, sir!" the damage was done. Bail knew now that he and his planet had not been abandoned entirely, and had the Jedi Knights on their side. He would never bow down before the Sith now.

"Apprentice!" Maul scowled as he tore his gaze away from Bail, "Send four hundred clones to cover a twenty-mile area around the crash! And tighten security around the city's perimeter! I don't want them getting through!"

"Yes Master!" the second Sith replied curtly, all traces of her anger gone. Once she left, Maul returned his gaze to Bail.

"You were saying, _King_ Organa?"

"I was saying that Alderaan will surrender," Bail replied heartily, "when Mustafar freezes over."

"Then have it your way," Maul smiled cruelly as he reached for the comlink on his belt. He pressed a button on the side, and said very clearly, "Process her."

"NO!"


	4. Gathering Darkness

"Alright, _move it!"_ the black-armoured clone trooper growled as he shoved the butt of his blaster rifle into the back of a cowering civilian. The civilian, an aging human, buckled under the pressure of the blow, and crumpled to the ground. Two younger humans, both preteens, rushed forward to help the elder to her feet. Until that is, the Clones forced them apart.

"Sergeant, take these two to camp four!" the commanding clone officer barked harshly. "Treason will _not_ be tolerated!" Two more soldiers stepped out of line and actively pushed the teens away. And as they did so, bystanders grew more and more volatile. What had been quiet murmurs turned into spitting insults hurled at the clones. Small pieces of debris were quickly turned into projectile weapons. Utterly useless against the trooper's armour, but it was most definitely annoying and aggravating for them to have to deal with such rabble. They were trained to handle enemy soldiers with lethal force, not peacefully quell a small rioting gang of civilians.

"Get off our planet!" someone roared as a larger stone whistled through the air, and cracked against a soldier's helmet. The clone stumbled to the ground, but the line of troops did not falter. If anything, they became impassioned as they closed the gap between themselves and the unruly civilians with riot gear. With hard metal shields strapped to their forearm, and an electrified polearm in the other, the troops posed a genuine threat to the enraged population. Especially since only a handful of blasters could be spotted throughout the crowd. And most of them were hunting or sport blasters, hardly the type used in combat against armoured opponents.

And on a distant rooftop, the unfolding events were observed by the Lethan Twi'lek Sith Apprentice Bellus, as she carefully examined the intricacies of her lightsaber. Her master was busying himself with crushing the last remaining pockets of resistance on the planet, and finding the Jedi who had crashed on the surface. She didn't worry herself with the whereabouts of the monks, knowing full well that their Code of Honor would draw them to the capitol, like Gundarks to a fresh carcass. And she eagerly awaited an opportunity to engage the Jedi one-on-one. She yeaned to prove herself against one, as the Sith Knights of old had done. Unfortunately, no Sith had had the honor of killing a Jedi since the last massacre forty years prior, when the Grand Sith Lord Plageuis had been slaughtered by a Jedi strike team.

Though a small part of her did resent the fact that the Jedi were their enemy, not their ally. Indeed, if half the scraps of information she had garnered over the years about the order were correct, they were not as fallible as her master, and the other Sith Lords believed. No, they were simply misguided and cowardly. Truly, she believed that if the Jedi were stronger, there would be no need for their war. She imagined how things would be then, with both sides cooperating for the betterment of the Galaxy. She imagined how powerful their armada would be with even half the Jedi on their side. No one would stand in their way! Not even the corrupt, diseased Galactic Republic!

With the twinkle of that thought in her eye, she resumed her inspection of her weapon. With a cloth, she meticulously polished the grey-chrome hilt to perfection, before moving on to the black emitter shroud. Of course, the weapon was inactive, so that she wouldn't be able to harm herself even if she tried. Which certainly made cleaning the interior of the hilt much easier. Mindlessly, she continued to polish as she thought about the lightsaber as a whole.

It was of her own design, she had built it a little over three years prior, after her master had found her starving frame. She remembered slaving for weeks on end to find the perfect design. Should she emulate her master, and go for a saber-staff? Or perhaps go with a more exotic style and turn it into a pike? In the end, she found herself gravitating towards the thick, stoic design in her hands. The dark chrome metal was standard, and the black grip and emitter shroud went along well with her tribal tattoos. The only splash of colour was the red activation knob, which jutted out from the side, near the top of the grip.

As she fiddled with the cloth, her thoughts turned towards the city of Aldera once more. Of course, she hadn't been naïve enough to actually think that the people would willingly accept a hostile takeover. But she had thought that there would be at least _some_ supporters to their cause. Someone, among the billions of people on the planet, would certainly see the value in what they were trying to accomplish. To strengthen their borders, to tighten their security. To ensure that no one would ever threaten their way of life again.

After all, she would have _loved_ someone if they had done that for Ryloth. For _her_ people.

…xxXXXxx…

"They're just waiting there," Boba Fett murmured to himself, as he eyed the pair of Jedi through the scope of his rifle. A rifle which would be entirely useless against such opponents. He was too far away from them to even consider using an energy-based weapon against them, as their reflexes would have plenty of time to come into play. And projectiles wouldn't work at that range either Explosives would detonate before they reached the target, and slug rounds had too slow of a velocity.

Subtly, his hand brushed up against the two lightsaber hilts hanging from his belt. One was from a Jedi Knight he had killed on Deveron, as a rite of passage into Bo Katan's tribe of warriors. The other was a gift from his Father, an heirloom passed down through generations of Fett Mandalorians. It was an ancient Lightsaber, with a much longer hilt, and more ornate carvings etched into the side of the hilt. It was a work of art that even Fett could appreciate. Even if he had no idea what it was supposed to be. "Why are they waiting?" Fett continued to ponder to himself as he tried to devise a plan to take out the two Jedi himself. Such a high honor would raise his standing within his people. For that was what the Mandalorians held most dear: the kills a warrior had made. Pirates, Warlords, bounty hunters, those were all small potatoes compared to Jedi Knights.

Fett cracked a smile as he pondered the sensation of crossing swords with a Jedi, a feat very few Mandalorians had ever accomplished. Indeed, Boba only knew of one who had ever survived such an encounter, and that was his father.

…xxXXXxx…

"You still seem troubled," Obi-Wan asked Anakin, as they continued to meditate in the darkness, which was only stalled by the flickering light of the fire in front of them.

"I'm fine, Master," Anakin replied stiffly, obviously lying through his teeth. Obi-Wan simply nodded as he attempted to pry farther, without upsetting his apprentice. "Really, I am."

"You've been awfully quiet," Obi-Wan remarked with a tilt of his head.

"I'm trying to concentrate," Anakin said plainly.

"And since when has that been your strong suit?"

"Hilarious, Master"

"Well you make it so easy," Obi-Wan smirked as he opened his eyes, resting them on a faraway plateau. He briefly spotted a glimpse of light coming from it, and knew that it was not a good sign. It was blatantly obvious that they were being watched by _someone._ And on a planet under military occupation, that certainly wasn't something he wanted. He immediately regretted his decision to cross blades with Anakin earlier. That was what had drawn attention to them. _Battle-droids would have shot at us by now,_ he noted to himself as he slowly began to rise, careful to remain inconspicuous, and not alert whoever was watching them. _Which means that there are more organics in the Sith's army. Possibly,_ Obi-Wan thought with a jolt, _enough to overwhelm four Jedi._ He knew his limitations well. He knew that he could handle ordinary grunts with blaster rifles. He could handle a mob of pirates on his own. He had dealt with Bounty Hunters, who were all too eager to collect on the Hutt Clan's ten-thousand credit reward for a Jedi Head.

But Anakin was a different story. Anakin was still learning, and although he was skilled with both the Force and a Lightsaber, he had little experience with death and destruction. Yes, he had inadvertently and deliberately taken lives before, as most Jedi Padawans his age had, but Obi-Wan knew the idea didn't always sit right with him. And morals like that were a liability in a warzone.

Only time would tell if his apprentice was up to the task ahead.

"You were thinking about Master Tachi again, weren't you, Master?" Anakin asked, seemingly out of the blue.

"I…" Obi-Wan stuttered slightly as he watched Anakin's expression carefully. "Yes. Yes, I _was_ thinking of Siri…. _Master_ Tachi," he corrected himself, careful not to let his personal connection with his fellow Jedi Knight affect his Padawan's relationship with another Master. That would be extremely inappropriate, no matter what Obi-Wan's feeling for Siri Tachi were.

"It was on Correllia that the two of you first reciprocated your feelings for one another, correct?" Anakin asked, his eyes flickering slightly to the side, out over the landscape.

"Yes…" Obi-Wan replied as he followed his apprentice's gaze, which fell on the plateau that Obi-Wan had spotted the flicker of a reflection on. And a plan began to form in his head, even as his apprentice continued to say it out loud for him.

" _You_ stayed behind, correct?" Anakin asked as he circled around his Master. "Being the older, more experienced Jedi. A bigger threat, right?" Again, Kenobi nodded, recalling the incident perfectly well. He and Siri had been separated from their Masters while guarding the son of an important, controversial Senator. One night, while they were camped out in a cave very similar to the one they were in now, Siri had spotted a Bounty Hunter's ship landing close by. After a quick discussion, Siri had slipped away into the night, and returned shortly with a distraught-looking Kaleesh thug looking for a good payday.

"That's correct," Obi-Wan nodded, as he resumed his meditative pose on the ground. A perfectly vulnerable position to an observant onlooker.

..xxXXXxx..

Cleigg huffed as he eyed the two Jedi Generals standing before him. Back in his days as a soldier for the Republic, he had served as a part of their personal legion in the outer rim. And as such, he had been on the front lines of many key conflicts in the last war. Along with Jedi General Tahl, the two knights had certainly made a name for themselves, as had their soldiers. They had cut a bloody swath of death through the lines of the Sith forces in the old days. A tiny grin cracked at the old man's face as he remembered himself charging enemy lines with nothing but a trusty rifle and a howling roar.

Sadly, those days were behind him now. And Cleigg could see a lot more clearly now than he did back then. He had enlisted for a sense of adventure and excitement. And in return, he was given pain and remorse. The most prominent reminder of his stupidity being the missing bottom half of his leg. It had been shot off during the first few hours of the siege of Dathomir. Nothing glorious. He hadn't been valiantly defending a fallen comrade, or holding the line steady for his fellow troops. No, he'd simply forgotten to check around the corner before running out into a hallway. His mistake had earned him a three-hour crawl back to the command center, were a healer placed him in a healing coma.

Days later, he woke up with a machine grafted to his knee, and the masses celebrating the end of a war.

"Damn…" was all he could mutter to himself as he eyed Qui-Gon Jinn and Sifo-Dyas, catching the small differences the years had made to them.

Jinn's once auburn hair was going grey. His beard now reached halfway down his neck, and a sharp ponytail of hair hung down his shoulders. Instead of the traditional blue-and-white armour that most Jedi had worn during the war, he now sported a crisp officer's uniform, complete with a small bar on his breast which detailed his rank and name. Of course, the uniform could have also been fitted with numerous medals that the Jedi Master had obtained throughout his illustrious career, but as Cleigg remembered, Jinn was not one to boast about his victories. Instead, he came across as being very humble and at peace.

In complete contrast, Sifo-Dyas stood to his right. The horns on the top of his head were longer and sharper than before. A dull grey prosthetic limb served as a replacement for a lost arm. Cleigg vaguely remembered hearing that he had lost it in the final assault on the Sith fortress. The limb was covered in scratches and dents. A few wisps of red paint could still be seen, indicating it's original color. Battered armour plating also covered Dyas's remaining arm, two legs and chest, and their condition was much better than that of the prosthetic. It was obvious that the Jedi put a lot of effort into keeping his armour in pristine condition, like any soldier would.

Adoring Dyas's belt were two lightsabers. The first was the blazing orange one he usually wielded in the midst of combat, brandishing both ends with fiendish skill. The second was thicker and shorter. It sported charcoal-like metal around the grip and pommel, while two bladelike cross guards shot out from the side.

"….movements. Ship deployments. Flyover patterns," Jinn said as he leaned over the small table in the Lars kitchen, a far stretch from the bridge of a starship were such words were usually spoken. In fact, that may have been the first time they were spoken on Alderaan in over a hundred years. " _Anything_ you have will be useful to us," the Jedi General pleaded calmly as he ran his hands over the paper map on the table.

"Not much to tell," Cleigg shrugged as he strutted around his kitchen, "all communication has gone dark from the city. Jammed every holo-transmitter within a parsec of the planet, no doubt. That's when the panicking started," he noted with a huff. How often had he openly criticised the Planet's ruling elite for their decision to not have a standing army? Or at least a Republic Military Outpost? Sure, he loved his peaceful existence now, but knew that not everyone saw things that way.

He cast a glance over to his son, knowing just what thoughts were going through the young man's mind at that point. And that's where he was torn. It was blatantly obvious that Owen was Cliegg's son, and had a fire burning deep inside his soul. A fire that could not be quenched, and one which would drive him into a state of reckless patriotism and bravery. The very same things which had motivated Cleigg at that age.

"Actually," Owen replied as he tapped his finger across his chin, "that might not be the case. A few buddies of mine asked me too…" he said as his eyes flickered up, staring first at his Father, then the two Jedi, "…. _hold onto_ a _CT-5_ transmitter. The kind that goes undetected, unjammed by most conventional methods. It should help us gain eyes and ears into the city."

"Aren't those highly illegal?" Jinn asked pointedly, "because they can hack into any network? Any transmission?"

"Well yeah," Owen shrugged casually, "but what're you going to do? Arrest me? Report me to the authorities?" Cleigg looked from his son, to the two Jedi and simply shrugged. As a father, he should be chastising his son for owning a piece of illegal equipment. However, Cleigg himself owned an illegal RC-7 rifle, whose rounds could penetrate the toughest armour in the galaxy. "Point is, I'm guessing that the troops won't anticipate it. And we can monitor their communications, once we get close enough, sirs."

"Could we use it to send a message to Coruscant?" Sifo-Dyas asked as he toyed with his chin.

"The transmitter's not powerful enough," Owen said as he tapped the table. "And the message would take far too long to reach the next planet. Forget reaching the centre of the galaxy. Maybe," he shrugged half-heartedly, "if we transmitted it from the central communication tower in Aldera, we'd have a slim chance."

"Well it's a good thing we're headed straight for the palace then," Jinn remarked as he drew an imaginary line between their location on the map, and the location of the palace building. "If I remember correctly, the tower is only a block away from the Palace. Should be easy enough to infiltrate both, once Obi-Wan joins us," he finished as he straightened his back, and looked around.

…xxXXXxx…

"Damn Jedi," Boba hissed as he stared through his scope, itching to take a shot at the lone warrior monk. He was ever so close, too. All it would take was a sudden twitch of a muscle in his finger, and a blaster bolt would fly directly towards his head. But he didn't want to give away his position, not yet. He knew that two more Jedi would be joining them soon, and he knew that they would try and formulate some sort of a plan to get into the city eventually.

Not to mention that even if he took the shot, it was anyone's guess if the Jedi could deflect the shot with his lightsaber, and incredible reflexes. Even his father would think twice about rushing into a fight with a Jedi without some sort of backup plan, and a solid escape route. And Boba knew that his speeder was too far away for him to reach before the Jedi had a solid lock on his location. For all he knew, the Jedi would simply drop a mountain on his head and be done with it. That's certainly what Darth Maul would do, in that position.

"What are you waiting for?" Boba asked again, still wondering where the apprentice had gone. It had been a solid twenty minutes, so that ruled out a bowel movement. And the young man had no hunting equipment.

" _zzzett, report in,"_ the voice of Bo Katan cackled over the comlink. Reluctantly, Boba picked it up, and clicked the side button, transmitting a signal.

"Nothing new," Boba said plainly, "the Jedi haven't moved. No new arrivals. No attempt to send some sort of signal to the Republic. Though they might already know about the jammers," he continued, as he re-adjusted his position so that he was more comfortable.

 _"_ _Can you take them down quietly?"_ she inquired.

"I have my doubts," Boba replied honestly, "Perhaps I could handle the Jedi Knight on his own. But with his student, he may be too much for me. And," he said as something rustled in the bushes behind him. "I don't know where the other two went. It's possible they met up with one of the local farmers. Or they're headed straight into the city."

" _Jedi aren't that stupid,"_ Katan said dryly, " _they know better than to go up against an entire army. And even if they enter the city, Maul will most certainly sense them. Still, I'll put an extra few guards on the Royal Family's cell. It won't hurt to be thorough."_

"You may want to have the locals interrogated," said Boba firmly, "they may know something we don't. And perhaps-."

 _"_ _Bellus's orders were explicit_ ," Katan replied sharply, _"we are not here to oppress these people. We are here to protect them from their own weakness."_ Boba cringed slightly, knowing that she'd say that. Their own damn cause was getting in the way of completing their objective. If he were in charge, he would already have broadcast a demand for the Jedi's surrender, in exchange for the lives of the Royal Family. But, he knew that he had to listen to Katan's orders for the time being, and so resigned himself to them. _"Keep monitoring the situation. I'll re-route some troops your way. Then you can take thezzxxt-"_ the comlink flew out of his hands, and collapsed upon itself like a sun going supernova as Boba spun around.

He reached for his blaster, bringing it to bear against his ambusher. He fired once, twice. Before the first bolt left the barrel of his rifle a glowing blue blade leapt from the hilt of the young Jedi's lightsaber. The young man twisted his grip and Boba's first shot went bouncing off to the side. The second shot, the Jedi managed to turn back at a much better angle, as he was better balanced. The deflected bolt hit Boba in the shoulder, thankfully striking the tough metal plating.

"Surrender," the young Jedi student commanded, as he swept his blade through Boba's rifle. Both pieces clattered to the ground, and Boba was left to consider his options. The hard plates on his armour were made up of Mandalorian Iron, which could definitely stand up to a dedicated strike from a lightsaber. But the softer portions were made up of a composite weave material, which lessened the strength greatly. At best his joints would withstand a glancing blow, not a dedicated attack. "Now!" the Jedi barked as he shifted his grip on his blade, quickly re-positioning it close to Boba's neck.

Sighing to himself, resigned to defeat for the moment, Boba held up his hands. Quickly, the Jedi bound him in a pair of standard-issue binders, the kind most Jedi and law enforcement officials used throughout the galaxy. Which worked to Boba's advantage, as he knew just how to break out of them.

"Now get a move on," the Jedi snapped, as he gave Boba a hard shove, pushing him down towards the campsite he and his fellow Knight had made.

…xxXXXxx…

Darth Maul looked up at the night sky with a glimmer in his eye. He had done it. He had conquered the one world that the Sith Order had been unable to touch in over a hundred years. Pure elation filled his every corner, knowing just how well his Master, who would be arriving at any moment, would be rewarding him. A grin crossed his face as he caught sight of the small cluster of sleek starships that was his fellow Sith Warriors. They descended in a star-shaped pattern, with the less important warriors forming the outer edges.

In case of an ambush, those fighters would peel off and engage all enemy ships, while the remaining ships would form a rotating shield around the command ship, protecting their Master from any incoming fire as they made their way out of the star system. Surely, those scapegoat warriors would perish, but their cause would continue to live on throughout the Galaxy.

Maul was just gladdened that he had lived through the part of his training that required him to be on the perimeter of the fleet. He was now stronger for it.

He bowed low as the middle, largest ship touched down on the landing pad that stretched out from the grand Palace. A single, solitary ramp lowered from the hull, as other ships touched down. A quartet of troops descended the ramp first, sweeping their powerful blasters around in tight arcs, ready to fire on anything that presented even the slightest threat to their Master. Maul had personally witnessed more than a few would-be assassins being cut down by heavy blaster fire. He grinned at the thought of a Jedi falling victim to the same trap.

" _Master,"_ Maul said flatteringly as he was approached by a black-robed figure, who simply smiled as he gave a small gesture with his hand.

"Rise, Lord Maul," Darth Sidious cackled as he flexed his fingers ever so slightly. The air around him began to warp and change, becoming more suited to the Dark Lord's personal preferences. All present knew that this was just a ploy, however, to demonstrate just how powerful the Sith Lord really was, and how foolish it would be to even attempt to defy him. Not that Maul had any such ambitions. Darth Sidious was a mastermind who would one day pave the path to victory. He was absolutely instrumental in their plans to overthrow the Jedi and the Republic.

The other Sith who followed him? Not so much, Maul knew as he watched ten of his fellow brothers and sisters depart from their ships, and fall into line behind Sidious.

The first Sith to follow Sidious was Darth Tyrannus, an elderly human male in his mid-eighties. Other than Sidious, he was the only member of their order still alive who had personally met Darth Plagueis. And, though Maul resented his high-and-mighty disposition, he held a great amount of respect for the man's skill with a lightsaber. The Zabrak was smart enough to know that he should never engage Tyrannus on even ground, in close quarters. Not without backup. Beside Tyrannus was his apprentice, _Bulq,_ a Weegway runt who had been freshly inducted as an apprentice. Following Tyrannus was a Togruta male who Maul had never met personally, only knowing him as _Ba'deshk._ Following him was Darth Ventress, the one Sith who Maul hated more than anything in the world, and who had attempted to kill him on several occasions. And vice-versa, of course.

" _Lord_ Maul," Ventress hissed spitting venom through gritted teeth as she passed him by.

"Ventress," Maul rebutted, as he caught the Dathomirian's hands edging towards the hilt of her twin lightsabers. Maul did the same, but neither was willing to risk drawing first, fearing Sidious's ire. "Always a pleasure."

" _Please,"_ Ventress scuffed as she ran an icy finger down the side of his chin. "as if _you_ could give _any_ woman pleasure."

"Find me one and I will _show_ you," Maul snipped back as Ventress broke away, clearing the path for Savage Oppress, Ventress's apprentice, and Maul's younger brother to approach. Savage was shorter than maul in stature by half a foot. However, he made up for that in muscle mass, as his arms were like tree-trunks. And since he was nearing the end of his training, Maul knew that he would e a formidable ally in the coming war. His only regret was that he had discovered Bellus mere weeks before Savage's force-potential had been revealed. If that had been the case, then Maul knew that his brother would be even more powerful than he was under Ventress's tutelage. "Brother," Maul said curtly, as he extended a hand.

"Brother," Savage growled heartily, as the two clasped hands roughly. Though Savage was slightly physically stronger, Maul was faster, and more adept with his sword.

"How was Alaris Prime?" Maul inquired, as he followed his Brother into the Palace.

"It _smelled,"_ Savage sneered bitterly as they walked. "Smelled like Wookies. Nothing but trees for miles."

"And did the Wookies put up a fight?" Maul asked slyly.

"At first," Savage shrugged as they walked, "but the cowards soon knew they were outmatched, and called in some Jedi _Harpy_. And _she,_ " Savage said as he indicated with his chin towards Ventress, "ordered a retreat as soon as we received word you had conquered Alderaan." Maul smirked slightly, now having further proof of Ventress's ineptitude as a servant of the Force, and of their Master. "What I would have given to _crush_ that Jedi's throat between my fingers…." Savage growled darkly.

"Patience, Brother, Patience," Maul said as he placed a hand on his Brother's shoulder, "you will get your chance soon enough. There are four Jedi stranded here," he continued with a nod, "and I shall allow you to slay one personally, so long as our Master allows it." Both Sith Brothers exchanged a knowing smile as they entered the antechamber of the Royal Palace. Their bretheren had already gathered in a circle around Lord Sidious, only waiting for Maul and Savage to take their places, which they did.

"Forty years," Sidious breathed slowly as Maul stepped into his spot, between Savage and Bellus. "It has been Forty years since Darth Plagueis the Wise fell at the hands of the Jedi Knights. Slain, unlawfully, by the order of a corrupt system. A system which has grown, like an unwanted plague on the galaxy. But," he said as he outstretched his arms, becoming bathed in the moonlight. "The Republic has outstretched itself. They have become weak and feeble. And soon," he cackled, "they shall fall. As I have foreseen. And you _all_ have your parts to play," he said as he gestured around to his gathered Sith warriors. They all inhaled deeply, the sound echoing around the room, creating an eerie sound. "the Force shall set us free."

"The Force shall set us free," they repeated.

…xxXXXxx…

"Something feels out of balance," Anakin breathed slowly as he clutched the side of the rapidly moving speeder. "Have you-?"

"I have," Obi-Wan replied slowly, as his eyes flickered towards the Mandalorian soldier they had captured. Shortly after Anakin had returned with said captured soldier, a speeder had shown up, carrying three locals who told them to get in, and they would take them to their fellow Jedi. That had been a good twenty minutes ago, and now Kenobi was beginning to feel concerned. More concerned than before. For the past half an hour, he had been feeling this growing sense of fear and anguish seeping around him like a cloud of poison. The shroud of the Dark side was literally beginning to eat the entire planet alive. "But he'll be able to tell us _more,"_ Obi-Wan said, as he nodded towards the captive.

"Do you really believe that?" The Mandalorian hissed with contempt.

"Well that all depends on how a lifetime in a Republic prison sounds to you," Obi-Wan replied calmly, as the speeder came to a halt outside of a farmhouse.

"And how does another civil war sound to you, _Jedi?"_ the Mandalorian snipped, as Anakin dragged him out of the speeder, and Obi-Wan greeted the forms of Qui-Gon Jinn and Sifo-Dyas with a knowing nod of approval. He truly was glad that the two venerable masters where alright. "Because-."

"Oh shut it," Anakin quipped as he shoved the man forward.

"I didn't know you'd be bringing friends, Obi-Wan," Qui-Gon quipped with a small smirk.

"We found him scouting us out," Obi-Wan replied with a small nod, "and decided he was too dangerous to leave unchecked. Have you any news on the city?"

"Some," Sifo-Dyas replied with a small sigh, as he massaged his chin. "The young lad who found us has a decoder/transmitter hybrid. Several people who've gone underground inside the city have been feeding us intel. I'll say more inside," he said, as he indicated towards the house were the three retired veterans who had brought Kenobi and Skywalker the speeder stood. The Jedi followed them inside, and were met by two more men. One older, at least in his mid-forties, and a younger man, just under two decades old by the looks of him. The younger man's back straightened at the sight of the newcomers as they entered. The tallest War veteran, named Sik, was the first to speak.

"Any and all civilian uprisings, peaceful or not, are being handled with brutal force," he said cautiously as he clicked his hand on the table. "the ring-leaders are being dragged away by the soldiers…..never to be seen again. But we can't confirm that they've been killed."

"Well that's certainly a possibility," Obi-Wan said grimly. The others nodded in agreement solemnly. "That, or gruelling labour. Which would be the logical choice. I assume they've established checkpoints?"

"At every entrance to the city," said Mel, the fattest veteran. "And in every ring of the city. And at random intervals of the day. Security is tight around every nook and cranny."

"Except the Palace, for some reason," the young man piped up confidently. His confidence faded somewhat, however, as everyone turned to look at him. "I…I mean. I…I managed to get through to Bree. She said that the area outside the Palace is dead. She even heard a guard talking about it. No one is to get inside," the young man finished softly.

"Did she say why?" Sifo-Dyas asked intently.

"No," the young man said, "No she didn't say why...she was forced to hide soon after overhearing the conversation. But she did say she _heard_ a ship landing after she hid, if that helps," he gulped as he averted his eyes.

"Clearing the area," Qui-Gon noted with an inclined chin. "And a mystery ship landing in a no-fly zone?"

"Somebody important has arrived," Sifo-Dyas said gravely, "and who could be more important than two Sith?"

"That's what scares me," Qui-Gon replied quickly, "we need to get into that city _now._ Before it's too late. _"_ At this, the young rough-haired man spoke up once more.

"There's an old abandoned tunnel system," he said softly, as he pointed to a small section of map. "It's an old sewer system that was sealed off a few decades ago. Some of….some friends have used it to well….to transport things when you don't want to be seen. Should be a good way to get inside."

"Then we leave at first light," Qui-Gon nodded, ending all discussion on the subject. 


	5. Light & Dark

"This'll never work," Obi-Wan sighed as he eyed the outer wall of the City through a pair of range-finders. Even from his narrow perspective, he could see five guards covering the gate, which led him to believe that there were at least twice that number on the other side. Never mind how many could show up should everything go wrong.

"It will," Sifo-Dyas replied reassuringly, as he patted Obi-Wan on the shoulder.

"No, it won't," Obi-Wan quipped, resigning himself slightly to the idiotic plan they had concocted. Of course, as usual, there was little to no time for them to rectify things, to make the situation more ideal.

"We have to try," said Qui-Gon as he approached, dressed in a borrowed set of 'civilian' clothes, borrowed from Cliegg Lars's wardrobe. Of course they didn't quite fit right, as Jinn was a foot taller than Cliegg, and much slimmer. But it would definitely have to do.

"Do or do not," Anakin chirped from Obi-Wan's left, "there is no- _ak!"_ he sputtered, as Dyas slapped him on the side of the head, effectively silencing the cheeky young Padawan.

"Of course, Master Yoda," Obi-Wan said dryly as he tugged the last shoulder strap of the armour they had 'appropriated' from their captured Mandalorian. To Obi-Wan, the armour was uncomfortable, heavy and slightly restricting. He preferred the mobility and freedom that his usual garb offered him over the cumbersome load. But, for their plan to work, someone had to wear it. Qui-Gon was too tall, Anakin was too short, and Sifo-Dyas would never have been able to fit the helmet over his horns. "Are we set to go on the plan?" Obi-Wan asked his companions.

"Aye," Qui-Gon replied with a subtle nod. "You sneak into the guardhouse, disable the comms with _this"_ he said, as he produced a small cylindrical device that Anakin had whipped up from some spare parts they had gathered from the Lars homestead. The device would broadcast the 'all-clear' signal on a loop while simultaneously block incoming and outgoing transmissions. "That will give us time to sneak around, while you deal with the guards inside."

"Once they're taken care of," Sifo-Dyas continued, "we'll proceed north, until we reach the sewer system. We'll cut it open, then drop in."

"The sewers will allow us to move freely through the city," Owen said. Originally, Obi-Wan had objected to bringing the young man along in their attempt to rescue the Alderaan Royal Family. But, as his three companions had pointed out, he knew the lay of the city better than they did. And he was the one who had conceived the plan in the first place. Not to mention that they could always use a lookout, and an extra set of hands if things got rough. Which they most certainly would. "And come up right underneath the prison and hangar bay towers. At which point-."

"We'll split up," Anakin said, as he tucked his lightsaber into the folds of his own disguise. "Master Qui-Gon will find us a ship. Owen, you will help him. The rest of us will search the prison for the Royal Family."

"We'll wait an hour," Qui-Gon added in grimly, "No more. The longer we wait, the greater risk of discovery there is. If I must," the venerable Jedi Master continued gravely. "I will leave the planet, with Owen in tow. If that happens, I will do my absolute best to convince the council to send reinforcements." They all exchanged a grim look. They all knew that the Jedi Council had very little power over the Republic Military. It was the Senate who could mobilise their forces, and the Senate took a long time to make any sort of decision on their own. So unless at least one member of the Royal family issued a formal plea for aid, there was little that could be done.

But, if any lone Jedi could persuade the Senate to send aid, it was most definitely Qui-Gon Jinn. The group exchanged one last glance with one another before they went their separate ways. Obi-wan's gaze lingered on his apprentice's features for only a split second longer, having the faintest feeling through the force. It wasn't very clear, or strong. But he had a peculiar sense of change within Anakin's presence. The Jedi Knight simply took it as a sign that there was a great challenge ahead in Anakin's life, and thought little of it. If it was the will of the force, after all, there was nothing Kenobi could do to change it, no matter how much he wished he could.

It was one of the greatest challenges that a Jedi Master faced when it came to having an apprentice: Having to let them choose their own path. Obi-wan clearly remembered the mixed look of fear, joy, pride and anxiety on Master Yoda's face he had cut the Padawan braid from Obi-Wan's head. Or the look on Master Dyas's face as he had stumbled upon his apprentice, Siri Tachi, along with Obi-Wan himself, caught between a young Rancor and their Mother, only to emerge victorious.

Shaking his head, Obi-Wan approached the guard post, securing the last piece of his armour as he did so.

"Halt!" a soldier called from high above him, as he aimed a powerful blaster cannon in Obi-Wan's direction. The Jedi knew that he stood very little chance against such a weapon, even if his lightsaber was drawn, while out in an open field like he was. "What's your identification number, Mandalorian?"

"A-113," Obi-wan said calmly, reciting the number that he and Qui-Gon had 'convinced' their prisoner, Boba Fett, to give to them. A tense few seconds passed by as Kenobi waited for a response. Even a small part of him began to think that the troopers knew something was up. He was being eyed by the black-armoured troops carefully. Almost too carefully, in his mind. He had almost reached for his concealed lightsaber when the top guard spoke again.

"You're clear," the guard quipped casually, as he indicated Obi-Wan forward. The Jedi of course, had to blend in, so he did as he was instructed. "Memo here says you were out hunting those blasted Jedi. Did you find them?" he asked, seemingly in a conversational tone of voice. But Obi-Wan knew better. He knew that if he slipped up, said something that conflicted with what the records showed, he could very well be riddled with blaster bolts.

"Caught sight of them," Obi-Wan said as he tapped into the force, adding more weight to his words, "just before they made off in a speeder. Lost them after that," he shrugged as he stepped up beside the head guard, who gave him a friendly slap on the shoulder as they walked.

"I'm certainly not gonna blame you," the guard chuckled as he led Obi-Wan up to the lift, which would take them to the top of the gate, were the main communications were located for that outpost. "I'd never be able to catch those Saber-wielding Republic sympathisers myself," he said as the lift carried the two of them upwards. Out of the corner of his eye, Obi-Wan saw a flash of fabric through the canopy of trees. His companions would soon be in position. He needed to be ready. "Truth be told," the guard continued casually, "I'm perfectly comfortable right here on Alderaan. No one's shooting back at us. Good food, and good women," he said as they reached the top of the guard post. Two other men waited in the room. Unlike those outside, they wore no armour, just grey uniforms, with a small blaster strapped to their belts. They certainly wouldn't be a problem for him to deal with.

"…certainly a lot better deal than what the unit stationed on Kashyyk got," the captain mumbled to himself. "Damn hairy beasts ripped them apart." Of course, at the mere mention of the forest-y planet and it's hairy inhabitants, Obi-Wan's mind once more flew towards Siri Tachi, who had been dispatched to a nearby Wookie outpost colony. Her mission, she had told him, was to investigate terrorist activity in the area. That, combined with the situation on Alderaan, spoke of a much larger movement than he had originally thought. All the more reason for them to get off-planet with all haste. The thought of which motivated Obi-Wan to press on in his part of the mission.

"Open the gate." He said clearly, waving his hand slowly towards the guard. The man's eyes glazed over for a brief second, but he regained his senses.

"What?" the man asked, blinking as he spoke. "Sorry, thought I heard you say too…must be something in the food! Making me all dizzy!"

" _Open the gate,"_ Obi-Wan said again, tapping deeply into the Force, putting it's weight behind his words and bending the man's will to his own. The Force could do that to most beings. Only the strongest of will, and those learned in the ways of the Force could resist its power. If only for a short time that is. Powerful Jedi Masters, such as Yoda, could utterly dominate the minds of any being in the Galaxy if they so wished. Which was why it was a skill only taught once Jedi Apprentices reached a certain level of Maturity. Obi-Wan had yet to teach it to Anakin, and himself had only been taught a few weeks before his final Trial.

"I…" the guard stuttered, seconds before stumbling over to the nearest control panel, much to the surprise of his colleagues. One of whom tried to stop him.

" _You will stand in the corner"_ Obi-Wan recited casually to the remaining personel, as his chosen guard opened the gate, allowing Qui-Gon, Sifo-Dyas, Anakin and Owen to slip inside the city limits easily. " _And you will forget I was here,"_ he finished as he turned away from the men, confident in his own handiwork. With a small gesture, he sent the device Anakin had prepared flying into the console through the Force. It landed with a small _click_ and Obi-Wan sensed that it was working perfectly. The security feed in the room would appear to be entirely normal to anyone who was now watching. He did not give the room a second glance as he exited. Because if he had, he might have noticed the small, blinking light of a miniature probe droid hanging from the ceiling.

…xxXxx…

"That's not Boba Fett, My lords," Bo Katan said crisply as she, along with the four Sith Lords Maul, Bellus, Sidious and Tyrannous examined the holographic recording from within the Throne room. "His body movements….they're too relaxed. Boba is always ready for a fight, at any given moment. I guarantee you that it is not him."

"So the Jedi did survive," Sidious said in his gravel-like tone, sending shivers down the spines of Bo-Katan and Bellus. Both of whom were secretly afraid of the Sith Lord. A fact which he knew full well. Most beings were, after all. And rightfully so.

"At least one did," Bellus said weakly, as she thumbed her chin cautiously. "I can organize a sweep of the area in less than-."

" _No,"_ Sidious growled, cutting the young Sith Lord off abruptly. "No. I have foreseen this. The Jedi Masters who landed here….I have sensed them before. I have encountered them before." A brief moment of silence filled the room as he spoke. The last time Darth Sidious had ever encountered a Jedi Master was during the final battle of Dathomir. Alongside his Master, the two had cut a bloody swath through the ranks of the Republic's forces. Until Sidious had grown overconfident in his master's abilities, and separated himself from his Master in the heat of Battle. And in a flash, the Venerable Sith Lord Plageius was surrounded by a Jedi strike team. Oh, how he had fought hard to return to his Master's side. Slicing through Trooper, Padawan and Master alike in his mad rush to return to Plageius's side.

A single Jedi Knight had stood in his way. A brave Zabrak warrior who's speed and strength were a match for Sidious's own. A furious battle of blades and of the force ensued between the two. Many times Sidious had come close to death, as did the Zabrak Jedi. Only a last-second feint had given Sidious the upper hand, allowing him to _slip_ his bloody red lightsaber through the Jedi's arm, severing it at the shoulder.

But his victory had come too late. Plageius was dead. Their army scattered and in ruins. Sidious had only enough time to gather a handful of Sith before retreating off-world.

"All the more reason to attack _now_ Master," Darth Maul said with crossed arms. "We can strike hard and fast. With a host of soldiers at our backs!" Sidious scoffed at his warrior's simple-mindedness. It was both a blessing and a curse to have the Zabrak warrior under his command. Maul was in his mind, the perfect general. He was vicious, ruthless and had keen tactical insight. What he could not see was the fact that a better situation could await them. No, he was one who forced his surroundings to bend to his will. Not the other way around.

"You lack foresight, my Former Apprentice," Sidious grinned as he examined a map of the entire city. "To kill the Jedi now would do just that. They would be dead, and of no use to anyone. But," he continued as he interlaced his fingers under his robes, and examined those around him. "If we could capture one, it would rally other systems, other factions to the Separatist cause! The Galaxy would know of our strength _and_ of the weakness of the Jedi Order."

"The Jedi will not be so easy to capture," Tyrannous spoke plainly, earning a nod from Sidious as he did so. "Especially alive. We should wait until they have split up,' Tyrannous said as he nudged his chin towards the map's centre, were they could all see two highlighted buildings. Each containing one half of the remaining Royal Family Members. Sidious nodded in agreement, seeing Tyrannous's plan for himself and finding it to his liking. It was, in fact, what Sidious himself would have suggested. The man was certainly an important cog in the Dark Lord's machine of war. _A cog which could become a problem,_ Sidious found himself thinking as he examined the elderly, regal-looking man, _should he become more ambitious._

"I will take my soldiers," Bellus said, interrupting Sidious's train of thought as she pointed to the southern prison building. "And set a trap around the Princess. At best," she elaborated as she zoomed in on her chosen building. "She is a secondary target for the Jedi. Her brother holds all the power in the Senate after all."

"I doubt the Jedi would leave her here," Maul snorted. "Their compassion will be their downfall."

" _Yes,"_ Sidious grinned playfully, "It shall be. Report to me once you have them," he said as he snapped his head to the side. "I trust you to not fail me, Lord Maul, while I attend to other business on Byss."

"Never, my Master," Maul said with a curt bow, as the looming figure of the Dark Lord turned out of the room without a sound. It was not the first time that Bellus found herself wondering if he was indeed there, and not some sort of solid-state projection. Or a droid, given how she could not sense him in the Force. "Apprentice, prepare your soldiers," Maul's voice snapped briskly. "Guard the Princess. Lord Tyrannous and I shall oversee the Prince."

"As you wish," Bellus replied swiftly, with one hand brushing over the hilt of her Lightsaber, eager to prove herself against a Jedi Knight in battle. Her Lekku flopped against her shoulders as she hurried out of the room, followed by the Mandalorian Commander. Once she was out of her Master's earshot, she spoke again. "I want three tight circles formed," she said firmly. "Radiating out from the Princess's cell, with the last being halfway to the Prince. I will be guarding her cell personally. Do not engage the Jedi unless necessary. _I_ want that pleasure myself."

…xxXxx…

"Well that's phase one," Owen muttered under his breath, as he pressed himself against a wall, trying to present the lowest profile possible. Which was hard, with his Father's old blaster strapped to his hip. The weapon, he had been told, was powerful enough to crack mid-grade armour in one or two well-placed shots. He wouldn't pass an inspection by local authorities. that much he knew. But it wasn't local enforcers he was worried about, as they had more pressing concerns to deal with at the moment. "So far everything's gone off without a hitch."

"Never say that," Qui-Gon hissed softly as he rummaged through his belt, looking for a cable launcher. "Never. Ever. Say that things are going off without a hitch."

"Why?" Owen asked sheepishly.

"Because kid," Sifo-Dyas said as he clapped his metal hand on the young man's shoulder, "that's when things start to go wrong. _Really_ wrong. And we don't need that."

" _Down!"_ Obi-Wan hissed from his hiding spot near a series of disposal bins. No sooner had the Jedi Knight spoken than a pair of lights flashed in the street. A speeder, which had been appropriated by the Seperatists, passed them by. Fortunately not sparing them a glance. But still, they refused to even so much as move until it had left the street entirely.

"That's what I'm talking about kid," Qui-Gon said with a small huff, as he produced the line launcher from his belt, and handed it off to Anakin. Anakin aimed and fired the device with a small _thip,_ securing them a cable to use to scale one of the larger buildings in the Capitol. Definitely not _the_ largest, but certainly bigger than any Owen had been inside of in his life. Grey steel lined the outside, providing virtually no handholds for them to use, making the concept of scaling such a large structure even more unappealing to the farm-boy.

But, he was his Father's son. He had a name to live up to. And a duty to fulfill to his home planet. He took in a deep breath in the split second before he pressed a button on the side of the ascender, and was launched upwards at a semi-alarming rate. Below, he could almost make out the bemused expressions of the Jedi. No doubt they had trained on such a device extensively. But he was a complete novice, and most likely making a fool out of himself in the process. _At least I'll lighten the mood_ he thought before he landed with a solid thud on the rooftop. The entire journey had taken less than ten seconds.

In under a minute, the other Jedi had joined him. Owen's stomach was still in the process of unclenching, however.

"Most initiates would have thrown up by now," Obi-Wan remarked slyly, "good job."

"Thanks…." Owen gurgled, still trying to keep his last meal from desecrating the rooftop.

"Cut the chatter," Qui-Gon huffed as he pointed skyward, were three ships flew overhead in formation. "Security's going to be tighter as we go in further. I say we split up _now,"_ he nodded as he whipped out his lightsaber hilt, readying himself for action. "Dyas, you and Mister Lars will go get the Prince. Kenobi. Skywalker," he continued as he jerked his head towards the second tower, which was a good distance further away than the first. "The Princess. I'll get us a ship out of here. _Move,"_ he finished before slipping away into a shadow in the blink of an eye. Owen had never seen a man move so fast in his life. Which was surprising, as he had assumed Jinn to be one of the weaker of their group, given his apparent advanced age.

A tap on his shoulder led him to follow Sifo-Dyas towards the edge of the building, as the latter prepared his own cable launcher.

"Don't worry," the Jedi Master said as he stuck an anchor into the roof, and fired the line so that it impacted the prison roof, "this time won't feel so bad kid."

"I have a bad feeling about this," Owen replied as he gripped the line tight, and slid off the edge of the roof.

…xxXxx…

As quiet as a whisper, Qui-Gon Jinn slipped through the streets of Alderaa. He felt a pang of regret, seeing the beautiful city under such conditions. He remembered the first time he had been here, during the middle of the Festival of the Sun. His mission had been to escort the Chancellor of the Republic, along with his Master and a cluster of other Jedi. He remembered children playing in the streets. People singing as loud as they could. Bright colors. Wonderful food. Joy. Happiness.

 _That was a different time,_ he reminded himself as he spotted two guards passing by. Their attention wasn't on him, or anywhere near. However, he knew it wouldn't hurt to play things safe. He reached out in the force and took hold of a small cluster of pebbles, sending them flying into steel sheets, creating a ruckus that drew the two men away.

He let out a small sigh of relief as he moved from hiding spot to hiding spot, all the while trying to make himself look inconspicuous. He, of course, wrapped himself in a cloak of Force-energy, shielding his body from watchful eyes. But what he could not do was hide himself from the security cameras no doubt stationed all around the city.

It took him quite a while, at least twenty minutes, to reach the outer wall of the Hangar bay. Both above and beside him he could see patrols of guards moving about. The troops swept their blasters back and forth in tight motions, searching for potential hostiles. And although they were searching for him, and would fire on him in an instant, he found himself admiring their discipline and technique. _Focus,_ he told himself, returning his attention to the problem at hand: How to get into the building without being seen. He took in his surroundings, and spotted a medium-sized drainage pipe jutting out from the ground. It would have to do.

With a sigh, he shed the outer layer of clothing that had been provided by Cliegg Lars, which mainly consisted of a frock coat that did a surprising job of hiding his Jedi Utility Belt and environmental uniform. Two steps later and he was sliding himself into the pipe, which was just barely wide enough to accompany his frame. It was not so tight that he was scraping the edges, but not large enough for him to slide down comfortably. He had to inch his way down, bit by bit. With each passing moment his heart began to beat faster and faster. If he was discovered right then and there, he would be dead in an instant. He couldn't reach for his lightsaber to defend himself, and his use of the Force would only delay the inevitable.

Fortunately, he made his way down the pipe without incident, save for a tear in his left sleeve. He quickly ripped the remainder of the sleeve off, deeming it more of a nuisance than anything and took in his surroundings.

He was now in the sewers, as per the original plan. Fortunately, the system ran both North-South and East-West, so he knew that he would be able to navigate it quickly and efficiently. He briefly centered himself in order to be able to accurately recall the map he had studied of the hangar. He remembered just where the fastest ships would be, and how best to get there.

Which was why he went and took the long way. Qui-Gon considered himself wise enough to know that his enemies would be expecting him to use the sewers. And he knew that they knew he was pressed for time. So he decided that it was best to go for the less-obvious, less well-guarded route. His intuition served him well, as he went a solid thirty minutes without so much as _hearing_ a guard's footsteps, or voice. Only the occasional service droid or maintenance personnel passed over his head as he wound his way through the sewer tunnels.

"Just a wild Bantha chase…." He found himself muttering as he neared what he assumed was the Hanger Bay.

His suspicions were correct, and he narrowed his eyes, scanning the available ships with keen intuition. Immediately several ships spoke volumes to him. Three in particular seemed like they would best suit his purposed. On the farthest side of the Hangar lay an YT-1300 Light Freighter. Very Fast. Very Maneuverable. It would undoubtedly get them to Coruscant the fastest. However, the lack of weapons was troubling. Undoubtedly they would be fired upon, and their ship's shields and his expert piloting would only delay the inevitable without a way of fighting back.

The Second ship was directly in the centre of the Hangar, and occupied the most space. It was a CR90 Corvette. Built for both long hauls and extreme speeds, the ship was definitely versatile. And it had the added bonus of six high-powered military grade laser cannons. Enough to punch through the armour of any Starfighters that pursued them.

The final ship was an HVA-C17 freighter. It had the thickest armour out of all three. And ten rotating turrets. But it was also the slowest of the three, which was enough to cancel out its uses, in the Jedi's mind. He closed his eyes and stretched out with the Force, feeling into the future for guidance in his choice. A natural calling came to him from the Corvette, and he decided that now was the time to make a move. He slipped through a floor grate and hid behind a series of fuel containers, waiting for a squad of troopers to move past him, and out of his line of sight. He then quickly ascended the ramp into the belly of the ship.

And walked _right_ into the path of Four Mandalorian troopers. All of them heavily armed.

" _Hey!"_ One of them growled as he reached for his blaster. Qui-Gon was faster, whipping out his Lightsaber and slashing through the Man's blaster, hand and Torso in one go. He slumped to the ground, dead before he hit the deck as the other three reached for previously unseen Vibroblades. One attacked, and Jinn sidestepped him and gave a powerful force-push, knocking the man out cold as he furiously parried the blades of the remaining two warriors.

Their skill certainly impressed him quite a bit. The two of them seemed to be intimately familiar with each other's fighting methods, and worked in tandem. One would attack, while the other defended. However, they were both forced on the defence more than once, due to Jinn's superior speed, reflexes and intuition. He was at an advantage, having taken the time to study the Mandalorian Sword technique. He knew every move they were going to make, even if he couldn't always properly counter, he could evade.

He swung his blade around in an arc, feinting a blow to their helmets. Both raised their swords in response when Qui-Gon cut his swing short and turned it into a spinning stab. He aimed for the kneecaps, and struck true, bringing the soldier down with a followup uppercut, slicing through his helmet.

The final Mandalorian was smart, ducking and rolling out of the way of Jinn's emerald arc as he reached for a blaster. Three shots escaped the barrel of the weapon, which Qui-Gon was forced to deflect wildly. This gave the soldier enough time to press a button on the side of his gauntlet, unleashing a torrent of flames in the direction of the Jedi Master.

Acting fast, Qui-Gon extended his hand and pushed out with the Force, splitting the flames in front of him, scorching the walls instead of his body as he raced forward and attempted to behead the soldier. Displaying wits and guile, however, the Mandalorian had rolled a thermal detonator in his path. One which Jinn had to contain with the Force, or else his efforts would be moot. He was not detained for long, however. The Mandalorian had barely made it down the hallway when Jinn was done with the thermal detonator. And he was about to freeze the man in place when, out of nowhere, a small Astro-mech droid rolled out of a service corridor. Standing at a little under the Warrior's waist, the droid was completely unseen by the Mandalorian, who then proceeded to trip over the droid and crash to the floor.

A quick sweep of his emerald blade, and the threat was eliminated.

"Thanks, friend," Qui-Gon panted as he lay a hand on the Asto-Mech's domed, blue head.

" _Beep-Whoop-Beep,"_ the Astro-Mech replied, as its singular 'eye' fixated itself on the dead soldiers in the corridor. _"Ooooohh…"_

"You're the head mechanic of this ship?" Qui-Gon asked as he clipped his blade to his belt.

" _ChirpChirp-Wheep!"_ The droid replied enthusiastically. _"Doodledoop-Beep!"_

"Very nice to meet you, Artoo-DeToo. My name is Qui-Gon Jinn," he said, lowering himself to be level with the droid. "I'm a member of the Jedi Order, sent here to protect the Royal Family. Me and my companions need the ships up and running," he continued as he stood up to his full height. "Can you help us?"

" _Dup-Dup Chirp Wheep!"_ the droid sang merrily as it sped down the hallway, followed closely by Qui-Gon.

…xxXxx…

"Couldn't you just…I don't know…." Owen commented to his Jedi companion, "grab the Prince through the Force and be done with it?"

"Not that simple kid," Sifo-Dyas replied with a sigh. "First off, he's probably behind either bars, or a laser grid. Second, those cloned troopers would spot him and most likely shoot-."

"What makes you think they're clones?" Owen asked as they slipped down a second hallway. Thankfully, the entire building had been empty so far. Which confirmed the Jedi's suspicions that they were walking into a trap.

"Haven't you noticed how they're all the same height?" Sifo-Dyas shrugged casually, "and all their voices are the same?"

"Wouldn't Droids be cheaper then?" the farmboy asked.

"Cheaper doesn't mean better, kid," Dyas said dryly as they turned into a new hallway. "One E.M.P grenade and you're whole army's busted into scrap metal. They're good for support," he elaborated, deciding it was best to keep the kid's mind occupied on what he was saying, as opposed to what they were doing. "Defending Space stations and such….but not much else."

"Oh…" Owen nodded, "okay….next question…?"

"My face or my arm?" Sifo-Dyas smirked as he waved his metal limb through the air. "Go ahead, ask. It's way less rude than just staring at it all day, Kid."

"Face…?" Owen peeped softly.

"I uh… had a slight _disagreement_ once," Sifo-Dyas replied as he rubbed the scarred portion of his chin. "with a Wookie Chieftain. _Apparently_ I 'allowed' his son to be kidnapped by pirates. The hairy beast nearly ripped my arms off!" he chuckled lowly as they continued to walk ever onwards. Sifo-Dyas sensed that they were close to their destination, and a growing threat.

"You seem like the type who can handle himself in a fight," Owen remarked with a shrug, "why not just knock him out?"

"Well, it's like the old space traveller's saying goes," Dyas smirked as he subtly grasped the hilt of his double-bladed Lightsaber. "One piece of advice to live by: _Never,_ I repeat _never_ do you want a Wookie angry at you. It-" He stopped in mid-sentence to push Owen out of the way of a descending red blade, simultaneously stepping back and igniting one end of his own bright orange blade.

His opponent was a tall, ageing human who bore a stature of obvious nobility. He stood straight-backed, with one foot placed firmly in front of the other and with his long, thin blade pointed downwards in front of him. With a single glance, Sifo-Dyas recognized the stylized Makashi hilt design in his hand.

"Jedi Master Sifo-Dyas," the Sith said calmly as, as if this were a conversation over a meal. "A pleasure to meet you."

"Have we met before?" Sifo-Dyas retorted bluntly as he and the Sith began to circle on another. Wisely, however, Owen kept himself behind Dyas, out of the way of the Sith Lord's reach.

"No, regrettably," the Sith replied with a sigh. "But I have spent a great deal of my time studying the greatest warriors in the history of both our orders," he continued as he raised his blade to chest level. "And _you_ I consider to be one of the greatest in all history. Perhaps only matched by the likes of Lord Revan, Lord Malgus, Master Tythan and Master Jinn."

"Nice to know I'm so well-thought of," Sifo-Dyas snapped as he went of the offensive with a quick slash to his enemy's shoulder. A blow that was never intended to hit, merely to test the Sith's reaction time.

"Well it would be a pity for you to die unhappy," the Sith smirked as he casually deflected the strike with a flick of his blade. The smirk grew into a slightly confident smile as he thrust outwards, forcing the Jedi back a step. "And to not know how much of an honor this is."

"You seem to be mistaken," Sifo-Dyas grinned as he whirled his blade around in a deadly arc. "Owen, get the Prince. I'll deal with _him,"_ he said with a flourish of his blade, which sent the Sith's followup stab flying harmlessly to the side. "You think that you'll be walking out of here alive!"

"I am confident in my abilities," the Sith nodded politely. "A narrow corridor. Flat ground. Both of which act in my favour, and against yours," the man finished as the two of them disengaged from one another.

"Typical Form Two user," Sifo-Dyas replied, using the Force to create a barrier behind the man, so that he had no escape route. "Always so overconfident, aren't you?" he quipped as he rushed forward, swinging his blade hard into the Sith's path. Any normal warrior would have attempted to sidestep the blow, but his enemy could not.

But a Sith was no mere warrior enemy. With a wave of his hand, the Sith sent a torrent of Lightning towards Sifo-Dyas. Abandoning his attack, the Jedi brought his living hand in front of his face. His limb was soon enveloped in a greenish glow which pushed the lightning back, away from his body and into the walls around him.

"So," the Sith remarked, "you have more skill than I gave you credit for." The two of them battled onwards, matching the other blow for blow with ease. The Sith relied heavily on precision and subtle movements. Whereas Sifo-Dyas was about strength and speed. Neither could fully outmatch the other in the rapid back-and-forth contest. "A pity you haven't drawn your second blade," the Sith sneered coldly.

"And end things so soon?" The Jedi Master grinned as he somersaulted backwards, all the while keeping his blade between himself and his enemy. "I'm rather enjoying this!" he chuckled as they locked blades together. "I haven't had a decent fight in _years!"_

"It will be your last!" The Sith growled, all pleasantness gone from his attitude, replaced instead with rage and power. The dark side of the Force flowed around them, fuelling the old human's body with new strength and speed. Sifo-Dyas acted in turn, powering himself with the Light side of the Force matching the man blow for blow.

He had once listened to an outsider's description of seeing two Force-weilders clash blades before. The man had described it as almost to fast to see. The combatants had been blurs of motion, their only distinguishing features being differently coloured blades that never seemed to be apart. Sifo-Dyas imagined that was what an observer would see now, two godlike beings in a flurry of motion as the very ground at their feet shook with tremors in the Force.

Lightning arced out from the Sith's palm again, and Sifo-Dyas replied in suit with a wave of protective Force shielding. He followed this up with a powerful force push, which gave him a slight respite to manoeuvre himself into a better defensive position.

"You must realize there is no escaping," The Sith taunted him menacingly. "If I do not kill you, Lord Maul surely will. Or perhaps his Brother. Or his apprentice."

"I've killed more Sith than I can count," Sifo-Dyas chuckled as he gripped the hilt of his blade tightly. "What's a few more?"

"There is one Sith who bested you," the dark warrior sneered as his blade buzzed perilously close to the Jedi Master's head.

"I've grown since then," Sifo-Dyas replied as he lashed out with a kick that knocked the man backwards several feet. "Has he?" he said as he dove forward with a powerful stab, which the Sith had to desperately backpedal in order to avoid.

...xxXxx...

Owen's feet pounded against the durasteel floors as he wound his way through the corridors of the prison. He'd only been there twice before, once on a school trip, and the other as a stupid dare that nearly got him in prison. Neither experience helped him much though, it was too dark and he hadn't had enough time to fully memorize the map. He only knew the general direction he needed to go in to find the captive Prince.

 _Better to be lost,_ he told himself desperately, _then back there fighting that old guy._ He wasn't quite sure how the Jedi Master had known the Sith would be there, but he sure as hell was glad that he knew at all. And seeing the two of them fight, even for only a few seconds...he couldn't quite grasp it.

The stories he had heard from travellers, from old war veterans like his Father, didn't do the Jedi justice. It was like watching a whirlpool of motion. He hadn't been able to make out the differences, but had been so mesmerized by the constant motion.

"Hey!" someone shouted, snapping Owen back to reality. One of the black-armoured troopers was sprinting towards him. And Owen knew he only had a few seconds to make a decision. He snapped out his blaster and fired. The first shot went wild, striking the ceiling. The second struck the man in the shoulder as he levelled his own weapon. Owen's third and fourth shots landed perfectly, however. The trooper crumpled to the ground, dead.

Not stopping to think about the man he had just killed, Owen raced around the next corner with his blaster raised. It was empty, as was the one after that. He was about to turn back when he heard two men talking.

"When's the next shift coming?" one man asked.

"Two hours," another replied.

"Shit, can't we just-?"

"You want to piss _him_ off?"

"Just to piss! That's all!"

"You know he's electrocuted that Apprentice of his, right?"

Owen didn't let the conversation go on any longer. He rolled out into the hall and began to fire, much more confident this time in his shooting skills. He silently thanked his father for teaching him something that could have gotten them both arrested. Strictly speaking, firing a blaster without a permit was illegal on Alderaan. And although Cliegg was a crack shot, his attitude kept him from obtaining a proper permit.

Once the two bodies hit the floor, Owen rushed to the access panel. He briefly thought about trying to enter a code. But that would take way too long. Instead, he pulled the panel free and yanked out the wires. All door control systems on the planet had the same emergency system that would open the door once power was lost. This was to prevent anyone from being trapped inside by accident.

The door slid open, revealing a battered and bruised Bail Organa, Crown Prince of Alderaan.

"Who the hell are you?" the Prince asked groggily.

"I uh..." Owen stuttered momentarily. "I'm Owen Lars... Look," he said as he grabbed the Prince by the hand and hauled him to his feet. "I'm here with a couple Jedi. They're here to rescue you and your sister...I'm just along for the ride. Let's go!" he finished as he pulled the royal highness out of the improvised cell and down the hall as fast as he could.

...xxXxx...

"Someone will have heard that," Obi-Wan huffed as the last guard dropped to the ground, dead with a lightsaber wound burned into his chest. The man had rounded the corner at the wrong moment, and caused a slight noise before he had been put down.

"Still, we were lucky enough to make it this far, Master," Anakin shrugged as they sprinted down the hall, rushing past any and all security droids and personnel. Obi-Wan cut down four droids and a guard. Anakin knocked another three to the ground. Still, something seemed off to the Master-Padawan duo. They both knew that security should be tighter than it was.

"There is no such thing as luck, Padawan," Obi-Wan corrected as they turned left, down a new hall.

"Yeah well," Anakin smirked as he twirled his active lightsaber through the air mid-sprint. "I'm rather enjoying this new turn of events. Aren't you?" he chuckled to himself.

"Are you saying you _enjoy_ the thought of interplanetary war?" Obi-Wan half scolded his Apprentice. "The millions who're going to-"

"I just meant that at least we're not bored is all, Master," Anakin offered apologetically. "Not like that time we went to Bespin. _Man_ was that boring! Down here," the young Jedi continued pointing with his blade to the one cell with four guards stationed outside. Neither of them doubted who was inside.

"I'll deal with them," Obi-Wan said as he surged forward, "you get her out of there."

"Yes Master," Anakin replied, directing himself towards the double-thick cell door as his Master occupied the guards attention. This gave Anakin the perfect oppertunity to force the door open with the Force and rush inside. There, he saw Padme Organa, the youngest member of the House of Alderaan. For a brief moment, he was taken aback by her youth and Beauty. As well as the numerous injuries he could see, as well as the bounds around her hands, feet and mouth.

"I'm Anakin Skywalker," he said, clearing his mind and stepping forward. "I'm here to rescue you-"

" _BBBFFFFNNNDDDUUUU!"_ The Princess screamed through her gag.

" _Anakin Skywalker,"_ A cold female voice said, sending shivers down his spine. He spun around and brought his lightsaber up into a tight guard as a slender Twi'lek female, no more than a year older than he was, stepped out of the shadows. She was wearing a form-fitting black uniform, adorned with dark grey arm-guards. In her hands she gripped a pulsating red lightsaber, the hue of which was nearly identical to her skin tone. "The name of my first Jedi Kill."

"We'll see about that," Anakin hissed as he shifted his stance slightly.

"Yes," she grinned as she raised her blade high into the air, "we shall." They both moved at the exact same time, each hoping for a quick, easy kill. She went for a high attack, Anakin went for a sweeping parry. Time seemed to slow in that room as the red and blue blades edged closer to one another. Both the Jedi and Sith could feel their own hearts beating like drums in their chest. But, for Anakin, there was more. He didn't pay it much heed, but he could almost feel an echo in the Force. Not of a voice, or a person, or an animal. Something metallic. And the feeling of pain.

He put the feeling out of his thoughts as his blade and hers edged closer and closer together, before finally meeting.

And although neither of them knew it yet, the very fate of the Galaxy weighed down on this one, single moment like in the greatest moments in recorded history. As their blades met, the Force itself rippled and shook with them. The ripple soon spread like the wind in all directions.

It was felt by only a few, and of those who sensed it, only two knew it's true meaning.

One was a hooded and cloaked figure sitting atop an ornate throne. His hands were crossed and a smile cracked his lips. A low, dark chuckle escaped him as the feeling washed over him. The feeling of triumph and glory.

"As I have forseen..." the hooded man whispered.

The other was his opposite, a diminutive, green-skinned alien. He sat alone in the dark, deep in meditation. A feeling of utter sorrow and guilt filled him as he opened his wizened old eyes. Glittering orbs of knowledge clouded by the grief he felt.

"Begun, it has," the wise alien spoke softly.


	6. The Escape!

The second he uttered those words he regretted them.

"Anakin, no! W-!" it was too late. The doors locked behind his apprentice, sealing him in with an avatar of the Dark Side. And before Obi-Wan could raise his lightsaber to slice the doors open, fourteen clone soldiers poured into the narrow hallway, and levelled their blasters.

A split second before they fired, Obi-Wan became a blur of motion. He waved his crystal blade back and forth in an intricate pattern, giving himself maximum coverage over his body. And the portions of his body that he did not protect he managed to slip out of the way of stray shots. It was an old temple exercise that Padawans went through. A master would activate training droids one after the other, and an Apprentice would have to use everything they knew, all their skills and all their concentration, to defend themselves. Lest they be stung rather painfully by a blaster.

Though this was a slightly more dangerous situation, he realized. He wouldn't receive a minor burn from these blasters. A single shot would either kill him outright, or slow him down enough to allow a single trooper to finish him off. And his death would ensure Anakin's demise. That he couldn't allow.

Breathing deeply, Obi-Wan lashed out with the Force, creating a shock-wave that knocked four of the soldiers back into their comrades. A few of the remaining troops kept up their suppressing fire, however. This forced Obi-Wan to duck behind a steel support for cover.

"Lord Maul wants this one alive," one trooper said, "fan out and switch to stun." Obi-wan sucked in a deep breath, centering himself before exploding in motion again. He darted around the support and grabbed the nearest trooper with the force, and impaled the man on his lightsaber.

With another quick motion he threw the soldier's lifeless corpse into one cluster of soldiers, all the while keeping up his steady pace of blast deflection. Many of the shots he sent back went wild, but it was enough to suppress the troops and keep them from overwhelming him.

A quick force-push knocked the men onto their backs, giving Obi-Wan a few seconds to turn his attention back to the blast door. He didn't have enough time to cut a hole right through it, he knew as much. _But I can weaken it,_ he realized as he eyed the thickest parts of the door. Two quick sweeps of his blade ruined the door's structural integrity. He wanted to do more, but he was tackled to the ground by a commander, losing his lightsaber in the process.

A swift kick disloged the soldier from their position, far enough away to give Kenobi room to assume a better fighting stance. But not far enough away to give him time to reach for his weapon. All he had time to do was prepare a second, devastating kick.

This time, however, his foot skated off the soldier's armoured shoulder effortlessly, sending a shiver of pain up his spine as the soldier, one of the Mandalorians, grabbed his leg and tossed him into a wall.

Pushing himself free, Obi-Wan slammed his elbow into the underarm of the Mandalorian, the weakest part of her armour. Once she was dazed, he grabbed her blaster and tossed it well out of reach before the warrior could regain her footing.

He quickly analyzed the situation. The soldiers he had knocked down were still getting up, but would soon be combat-ready. He needed to grab his lightsaber. However, it was behind the Mandalorian woman. And behind here where the soldiers. She was the only reason they had yet to fire, because no soldier wanted to accidentally hit a superior. He needed to use her warrior's spirit against them, and decided that she made excellent cover.

Obi-Wan charged forward with a burst of speed, ramming his shoulder into the commander's stomach and pushing her back several feet, wrapping his arms around her waist as he did so, so that she didn't get too far away from him. He received a knee to the ribs in retaliated, causing him to lose his grip slightly, allowing the woman to raise her arms above her head and deliver a hammer-strike to his exposed back.

He didn't let go, and managed to get close enough to reach out for his lightsaber, using the force to bring it flying into his hand. However, he had to shift his concentration in order to do so, giving the Mandalorian plenty of time to grab his outstretched saber-arm and bring it into a powerful arm-lock.

She pulled on his limb hard, threatening to snap it in two, but Obi-Wan was much faster than she had anticipated. He used the force to flip over-top of her body, meanwhile sending a powerful wave towards the soldiers, pushing them back again, before channelling the Force into his closed fist and punching the woman right in the rib-cage.

The force of that blow sent her sprawling to the ground as Obi-Wan ignited his crystal blue blade. He quickly dispatched the remaining soldiers as the lone Mandalorian made a grab for a discarded blaster. She was faster than Obi-Wan expected, and managed to get off several shots before he could act.

None of her shots hit, nor did he believe they were intended too. But they did force him to stop in his tracks, giving her time to leap off in her jetpack and radio for help.

"Delta squad is down," the commander snapped sharply. "Recommend destroyer droids and grenadiers. Lord Bellus has engaged the second Jedi..." Obi-Wan didn't hear any more of what she had to say, as she retreated out of earshot. But, knowing that reinforcements were on the way he knew he had to act as fast as he could and cut a hole in the blast doors.

Stopping only to sweep his blade through two still-breathing soldiers, to prevent them from taking shots at his back, he soon plunged his blade into the door, and began the arduous task of opening it. Inside, he couldn't ignore a sense of dread that filled him, however. Something very important was definitely happening.

...xxXxx...

The halls were encased in a red and orange glow as the two warriors battled back-and-forth. Neither gaining a certain edge over the other as they wove their blades back and forth in intricate patterns.

With his expert eye, Sifo-Dyas discerned that Darth Tyrannus was both an expert duellist and tactician. The man was clearly steering the fight into advantageous terrain for his chosen fighting style. Terrain which was clearly enough to compensate for Sifo-Dyas's clear skill and strength advantages.

He decided to sit it out, however, knowing that in an arrogant mood the Sith would most likely trip up and let slip a valuable piece of information disguised as banter. It had happened many times before, both with Sith Warriors and criminal underworld scum.

He himself had extracted information vital to the outcome of the original Sith war that way. And his Apprentice, Siri Tachi, had managed to get more than a few Warlords to confess their crimes to a seemingly innocent 'slave-girl'.

"I hope I am not repeating myself," Tyrannus said plainly as he lashed out with a derisive cut with his red blade. "But I find your application of _Niman_ to be far too by-the-book for what the history records say."

"Well," Sifo-Dyas replied as he casually shoved the singeing red blade away with a parry. "Sometimes simple is always the best."

"A mindset I do not share," Tyrannus sighed as he adjusted his footing, opting for a more offensive stance as he pushed the Zabrak Jedi down the hall. Unbeknownst to Tyrannus, Sifo-Dyas was leading him right where he wanted him, while luring him into a false sense of security that would ultimately be his downfall. "The skills of a Knight are always bested by the skills of a master!"

"Unless that master forgets his lessons as a learner," Sifo-Dyas replied coolly as he spun around in a quick circle, now aggressively pushing Tyrannus back into the room he had been leading him into. The man clearly realized his mistake as Sifo-Dyas whirled around and ignited the second end of his lightsaber staff.

The two orange blades spun around in circles, dancing around Tyrannus's guard with overwhelming speed and strength. Only Tyrannus's sense of balance, as well as foresight through the force, allowed him to maintain a stout defence.

Now fully on the offensive, Sifo-Dyas did not hold back. He swung his blade as hard and as fast as he could, hoping to cleave the Sith Lord's head from his body, if he could. He thrust his blade out, and Tyrannus ducked underneath, countering with a cunning sweep of his blade. Dyas, true to his title of Jedi Battlemaster, saw through this and pushed himself away, giving both warriors a brief respite.

The respite did not last long, as both the Jedi and the Sith lunged at one another fiercely.

"There he is," The Sith taunted, "the warrior I have heard so much about!"

"If you know so much about me," Sifo-Dyas snapped as the two locked blades in a contest of strength. "Then you should flee the planet!" Violently, Sifo-Dyas shoved the man's blade back, overextending the Sith warrior's shoulder, causing him to stumble backwards slightly, losing his composure. Which gave Dyas the perfect opportunity to continue his forward assault.

He hacked his blades from left to right, then diagonally right to left before unleashing a powerful wave of Force power that sent him sprawling back onto the hard floor. "Clearly," Sifo-Dyas said as he approached the fallen Sith Lord, giving his blade a twirl as he walked. "The Sith order has fallen far indeed," he finished as he raised his blade up, preparing himself to deliver the killing blow.

Another red blade cut underneath his, creating a shower of sparks. The same Sith Lord who had confronted Sifo-Dyas aboard their escape ship confronted him once more, with a growl on his face. He too wielded a saber-staff. Though the blades on his where slightly shorter in length.

No words were exchanged between the two as they disengaged their blades briefly, sizing one another up with but a glance.

Maul was the first to make his move. He swung hard with vengeance, aiming to cleave Sifo-Dyas in two with one fell swoop. But the Jedi Master was faster, and managed to bring his blade up for a solid block before the strike could be completed.

The damage was done, however, as Tyrannus was given an opportunity to get to his feet.

"Surrender, Jedi," Darth Maul hissed as he gave a small salute with his blade. "We are two! And _you_ are no match for us _both!"_

"I beg to differ," Sifo-Dyas replied, as he reached behind his back, and grasped a rarely-used trophy lightsaber that had once been his master's. With a flick of his wrist, he ignited the icy-blue blade, holding it in his off-hand, and keeping his double-bladed lightsaber out in front of his body as a buffer between himself and the Sith.

Maul lunged forward with a snarl, stabbing out with his blade as Sifo-Dyas side-stepped him and attempted to cut him in two. However, Tyrannus intercepted the blade, but buckled under the force of a mighty kick to the knees. The Jedi Master then became a blur of blue and orange as he danced his way around the two Sith Lords. His only advantage being their awkward teamwork. Which was also what kept the two of them alive and in the fight. No matter how fast he was, he couldn't outright overcome their combined might. But he was agile enough to dart around the arena, forcing them to stumble over one another.

The walls and columns became his allies in the fight. They gave him cover and obstacles for his enemies as they duelled. Using the force, he ran up the side of a column, avoiding an otherwise fatal slash from Maul, which sunk into the column itself. As he landed, Sifo-Dyas pulled on the column with the force, bringing it down and forcing the two Sith to back off as it landed with a crash.

He then flipped up onto the fallen column, gaining the high ground. But the Sith followed suit. Which was exactly what he wanted. They were too high off the ground for a lightsaber to reach, and the column was not wide enough for the two to fight side-by-side, nor did he leave enough room behind him for one to leap over his head.

They battled on in a flurry of exchanges. The field advantage worked extremely well in Sifo-Dyas's favour. He would press his attack hard, forcing the Sith back, and to stumble into one another. Though they did put up a valiant defence, matching his aggression with their own. Soon enough, he was forced to defend as much as attack. Though their combined blades still failed to match his skill.

He swept his off-hand blade in a left-to-right sweeping arc, which completely missed it's mark. Though it had never been intended to hit, instead serving as a distraction as Sifo-Dyas unleashed a powerful force-push that knocked Tyrannus back. Maul, however, was agile enough to leap high into the air, bolstered by his power in the force. The Zabrak Sith then came down with a vengeful strike which shook the Jedi's defences at their core. Sifo-Dyas's saber-staff went flying out of reach, still intact, but leaving him with only his backup blade in hand.

"I told you that you were no match for us," Maul hissed as the two of them entered a contest of strength, pushing their blades against one another. "Even legends must fall, sooner or later."

"I beg to differ," Sifo-Dyas spat, as he spotted Tyrannus approaching from behind. He lashed out with all his strength, breaking the lock. With one solid movement he spun around and channelled the force though his body, concentrating it into a green orb in the palm of his fleshy hand.

Simultaneously, Tyrannus began to convulse and contort where he stood, eventually falling to the ground. What the Sith Lords did not understand that although the light side of the force lacked purely offensive capabilities, such as the sith's lightning, the ability to heal and purge illness from an individual was just as deadly when used against those who wielded the dark side. In essence, Sifo-Dyas had ripped the dark side's corrupting essence temporarily from Darth Tyrannus. It would return eventually, but there was plenty of time for the Jedi to act.

"Now," Sifo-Dyas grinned as he pulled his primary lightsaber into his hand, "where were we?"

...xxXxx...

Darth Bellus's crimson lightsaber swept perilously close to Anakin's ear. So close that he was sure he had been singed. Just as sure as he was that the only reason she had missed was because she was forced to back-track, out of the way of his uppercutting strike. Her Lekku, the twin tails that were attached to the back of her head, swung as she twirled around and delivered a power-blow from up high.

Normally, Anakin would have rolled out of the way. However, he couldn't leave the princess unguarded. So he planted his feet and raised his blade accordingly, matching the Sith Apprentice's strength with his own.

"Impressive," she hissed as she broke off the engagement. "I would have thought a mere _student_ would have fallen quickly. To think," she paused and began to pace slightly, "I was disappointed when it was not your master who entered."

"I think you'll find I'm full of surprises," Anakin roared as he charged forward with a cleaving strike with enough ferocity to shake her defences, and push her back several steps. "I'll be with you soon, Highness!" he quipped as he pressed forward with all his strength, while simultaneously remembering every lesson he had learned at the temple about foot-work and blade-work. He had to keep his feet steady and even, or he would risk more than a tap on the shoulder.

"No," Bellus spat as she shoved him back with impressive strength, "you won't. You'll be dead, Jedi!" Her blade swung again in a slashing arc, which Anakin parried, and grabbed her arm. He pulled hard, eliciting a scream of pain from his enemy as she pushed him back with the Force. "You'll pay for that!" she bellowed as the two of them crossed blades yet again. The room erupted into a series of red and blue flashes as the Jedi and the Sith attempted to overcome one another.

They were a perfect match for one another. Anakin was staunch, yet mobile when possible. Bellus was agile but rooted. Out of the corner of his eye, Anakin spotted his master's lightsaber making it's way through the door. However, his momentary distraction cost him. Bellus was able to sweep her off-hand into his face, digging her sharp talon-like fingers down the left side of his face.

Anakin roared with pain, blasting out in all directions with the Force, sending Bellus flying into a wall as he stumbled over in pain. He couldn't see out of his right eye anymore, thanks to the blood pouring into it. Thankfully, he knew she hadn't ripped his eye itself, because there would be no recovery from that. He'd have to get a cybernetic replacement if that was the case. But it wasn't, and he thanked the Force deeply as he ripped the restraints from the Royal Highness's hands and feet.

"Oh my-!" Padmé Organa gasped as soon as she was free. "We need to get you to a healer!"

"No!" Anakin snapped, as the blast-door fell to the ground, allowing Obi-Wan to step into the room, his blade held aloft. "We've got to get out of here!"

"he's right!" Obi-Wan said, as he took in the sight with one glance. "Reinforcements are on the way! Move!" The Princess obeyed Obi-Wan's command without question, shuffling past him without a word. But Anakin remained behind, staring at both his own lightsaber, and the unconscious Sith Apprentice. His first instinct was to strike her down, to end her miserable existence. But a soft voice spoke to him through the Force. _Spare her_ it said, and Anakin obeyed, knowing enough about the cosmic presence to know to listen to what it said, and sprinted out of the cell.

"We need to get to the Hanger," Obi-Wan said as they turned a corner, sprinting as fast as possible.

"Then we need speeders," Anakin replied, as he tried to wipe the blood away from his eye.

"They'll attract to much attention," Obi-Wan responded as two troopers appeared at the other end of the hallway, with their rifles levelled and ready to fire. They never got their chance, however. Both Master and Apprentice knocked them back with the Force.

"They already know we're here," Anakin pointed out to his master.

"Right..." Obi-Wan replied as they continued to sprint down the halls. They zigzagged as much as possible in their mad dash to escape, throwing off their pursuers. They were hindered, however. Padmé was not used to running for so long, and was already in poor shape. And Anakin felt himself growing weaker as a slight sense of dizziness overtook him. Only his mental conditioning and strength in the Force kept him running on his feet. But even still, he swayed slightly. Something his Master picked up on, but didn't say anything.

"There should be some parked out here!" Padmé said as she pointed to a large, open door. True to her word, three security speeders were parked there. Each was big enough for five people, plus a driver, making them more than good enough for their purposes. All three climbed into one. Anakin and Padmé took passenger seats, whilst Obi-Wan took the controls and steered them into the empty street at a breakneck speed. "Are you crazy?!" the Princess shouted, "You're going to get us caught for speedi-" her words were cut short by concussive missiles striking the ground around them.

High above them, a squadron of six fighters flew, attempting to shoot them down. Thankfully their weapons were not designed to hit such a small target, and they could not lock onto the speeder's signal just yet.

"Anakin!" Obi-Wan shouted, "see if you can do something about those fighters, otherwise we're not making it back to the ship!"

"Yes Master!" Anakin replied, as he spotted a discarded pile of storage bins, which he flung into the path of the fighters. The lead fighter peeled upwards, and over-corrected to much and crashed into the fighter behind it. The remaining fighters did not back down, however. And their shots were getting closer and closer to hitting them, no matter how much Obi-Wan bucked and weaved through the street. He turned them down a narrow path. One so narrow that the sides of the speeder threatened to rip through the sides of the buildings. Anakin had to fight the urge to take the controls from his Master, knowing that he was the better pilot. But his injured state compromised his abilities.

"Are you insane?!" The Princess shouted as Obi-Wan veered out of the passage, back into open ground. She toppled over in her seat, crashing her head against Anakin's shoulder.

"Only slightly," Obi-Wan quipped back as he gunned the controls, doubling their speed as the Royal Hangar came into view. "Hang on, and wish me luck!" he shouted as they shot into the hanger, where blaster fire was being exchanged from cover. Twelve clones were attempting to board a large Corvette blockade Runner. But they were stopped dead in their tracks by Owen Lars, two Royal Guards and the ship's own laser cannons. "Get her inside!" Obi-Wan shouted to Anakin as he vaulted out of the speeder before it even came to a full stop.

"Your Highness, get on board!" Anakin shouted, covering the ramp of the ship, deflecting blaster bolts meant for the Princess. His master's order had been meant for him to go inside as well, but he disobeyed that part intentionally. He wasn't going to be left behind while his Master's life was in jeopardy, even if he was half-blind. As soon as he was sure the Princess was safe, he charged into the fray beside Obi-Wan, who gave him a look that said it all. "I'm not leaving you, Master," Anakin said flatly as one shot he deflected hit a clone trooper in the heart, dropping him instantly.

"This is no place for a Padawan," Obi-Wan snapped aggressively. "And no one is leaving anyone-" The last few words were completely drowned out by a large, metallic _bang!_ as the upper-level doors flew off their hinges from a sheer explosive force. Down dropped the two Sith Lords, Maul and Tyrannus, followed swiftly by Sifo-Dyas, who was wielding two lightsabers at once in a flurry of exchanges.

Anakin had never seen such brilliance in a Jedi before. Sifo-Dyas moved with fluidity and grace that defied his age. His movements were so coordinated and crisp from over fifty years of honing and practice. Both blades moved in perfect synchronization as he batted away those of the Sith Lord's. Anakin was eager to leap into the battle alongside this legend.

With a barbaric roar the young Apprentice hacked his way into the duel, aiming to fell Darth Maul quickly and efficiently.

And that was his first mistake. He was tired, and not thinking straight. Maul was however, and efficiently evaded Anakin's strike. And seconds later, he managed to sweep his blood red blade through Anakin's right forearm.

"Pathetic," Maul spat as he kicked the delirious Anakin in the stomach, knocking him back into a crate. This was both good and bad news for Sifo-Dyas, who knew too well the pain Anakin was enduring. But, he took the initiative, and swept one of his blades through Darth Tyrannus's stomach.

"Get him on board!" Sifo-Dyas bellowed as he furiously attacked Maul, who was quickly forced to retreat under such a heavy assault. "Now!" Obi-Wan obeyed the order quickly, dragging Anakin, who still clutched his lightsaber tightly, into the interior of the ship. As he was doing this, Sifo-Dyas warded off Maul's last attempt to strike him down, by dropping a small escort ship on his head. Not enough to kill him, only enough to give Sifo-Dyas time to make his escape.

Once he was on-board, he helped Obi-Wan drag the unconscious Padawan into the nearest bed, so they could better examine the young man's wounds. Maul's blade had severed Anakin's arm completely, leaving only a stump. Thankfully, the heat from a lightsaber cauterized wounds instantly, so there was no need to worry about him bleeding to death from his arm. However, the shock was worrisome. More than one Jedi had succumbed to it's effects before reaching a medical facility. Fortunately, they were on a ship designed with comfort in mind, and were bound to have at least some Bacta solution on-board.

But it was at that moment that the ship began to shake and vibrate.

" _All available hands, get on those guns! Dyas, up ere on weapons control with me!_ _"_ Qui-Gon's voice echoed through the ship's inter-com system. _"_ _Or this ship'll never make it past their fleet!"_ Only Obi-wan and Padmé remained put, while the rest hurried off, on the Jedi Master's orders.

...xxXxx...

Qui-gon snarled as he bucked the ship left, right, up and down through a hailstorm of enemy fire. He had chosen his ship well, but it was still a rather large target that wasn't yet returning fire. It was taking all of his skill, every trick in his book, just to keep them from being blasted to smithereens.

" _Bweep-boop skreet,"_ R2-D2, his improvised co-pilot chirped as he turned his plug inside it's console socket.

"Divert all auxiliary power to the shields, turrets and hyper-drive," Qui-Gon replied swiftly, "we can't afford to lose those. Leave everything else to me."

" _Chirp Chirp Beep?"_ the droid said as Sifo-Dyas thundered down the hall, and slid into a chair next to Qui-Gon, taking control of the ship's forward cannons.

"Yes, keep yourself online," Qui-Gon replied with a sigh. The droid was certainly very spirited.

"Who's your new clanker friend?" Sifo-Dyas quipped as he began blasting the cannons, attempting to open a hole in the enemy blockade large enough for them to escape through.

" _Grr Grr Snap!"_ the droid quipped fiercely.

"Sorry, who's your new _Astromech_ friend?" Sifo-Dyas said with a sigh as he thumbed the cannon trigger. "And how long before we can get into Hyperspace?"

"He's the ship's head maintenance droid," Qui-Gon replied as he narrowly avoided a troop transport. "And navigation droid. Apparently the captain of this ship liked his droids to be multi-purpose. He's good," Qui-gon continued as he pushed the ship underneath a large carrier. "But once we're through, and can get Skywalker off the cannons, we'll-"

"He got hit," Sifo-Dyas interrupted as he demolished a series of single-pilot fighters. "One of the Sith sliced his arm off. And his face is messed up," Sifo-Dyas sighed deeply. "He'll need medical treatment when we land. But he'll make a speedy recovery in no time."

"Good," Jinn grunted as he veered out of the way of a capitol ship. "R2, punch it!" he said, and the stars in front of their eyes accelerated, turning into streaks of light as they sped up to unimaginable speed. They had made it away safely. "All systems are green. ETA to the capitol is twelve hours," he said with a sigh of extreme relief. "But there's no way this is over yet."

"I know," Sifo-Dyas nodded as the two old friends looked out the front of their ship. "I've got a bad feeling about this."


	7. A troublesome arrival!

The Jedi Temple grounds were certainly a sight to behold. Grand stone architecture that dominated the buildings around it through sheer beauty. In the very centre were four smaller towers surrounding one large tower. That tower was home to the Jedi High Council Chambers, while the smaller ones held the lesser councils, who dealt with more trivial matters of the Jedi order. The towers themselves were named Knowledge, Reconciliation, Peace and Tranquillity. Having been erected after an ancient razing of the Temple, the towers held special significance within the order.

Below the Towers sat a series of large buildings that housed the many critical components of the Temple. They housed the food stores, the shield generators, the power generators, the hangers and the medical bay. And, though an outsider would never know, each building could access the vast underground network of the Jedi Temple.

In that network, many secrets were held. Most of which were hidden from even the average Jedi. Even Masters such as Yoda didn't know all the secrets held within. Secrets from Mysteries of the Force, hidden hyperspace lanes, knowledge of the Dark Side, forgotten Lightsaber techniques and ancient Jedi History. Jedi scholars had gotten so lost down there before, that it had been days before they returned to the surface. More knowledge was lost down there than was to be found in any other library in the Galaxy.

Above this network were several large fields, surrounded by high walls. In these fields, Jedi of all standings went about rigorous training. One could see them doing everything, from simple exercises, to complex obstacle courses, to intense mock duels. In the far corner of one of these fields Siri Tachi, a Milarian Jedi Knight led a group of Initiates through a standard combat drill.

"One, two, three!" she huffed as she smacked a long, wooden staff against the body of a Wookie student, who fell quickly thanks to a strike to the knee. It wasn't hard enough to cause an injury, just enough to knock the wind out of him for a few seconds. "Better, Tu'chuck," she grinned as she helped him to his feet. "but you still need to keep your hands up," she continued as she showed him a proper, unarmed guard stance. "Even if your opponent has a bladed weapon, it's better for them to strike your arm, then your neck or heart."

Tu'chuck growled a response.

"Yes," Siri smirked, "it's better to avoid the fight altogether. But it's not always possible."

"But Master," Siri's own Apprentice, Caleb Dume, chirped in from where he stood. "A lightsaber would render your staff, or any punch, useless. Wouldn't it?" the young apprentice smirked, earning a series of murmurs from the class Siri was teaching. And giving his Master an excellent jumping-off point for a response.

"Well Caleb," Siri replied with a small nod, "do you really think so?"

"I do, Master," Caleb said with a cocky grin, assuming he knew more than his master did. A mistake every padawan made at one time or another. "A lightsaber is the most dangerous weapon in the galaxy. Anyone who gets within a few feet of one is dead."

"Well, Padawan," Siri shrugged as she took a few steps toward her Apprentice. "Then set your Saber to stun. If you're right," she continued as she twirled the staff in her hand. "then you have absolutely nothing to fear." With a wink, the Padawan ignited his blue saber, holding it in the reverse-grip that Siri had taught him. Against this, Siri spun her staff around in a simple pattern.

Caleb moved with speed, vaulting over his Master's head and spinning around, preparing to deal a mock-death blow. But he never even got close to completing his landing. Faster than any of the Initiates could blink, Siri stabbed out with the wood staff, striking her Apprentice in the solar plexus before she even landed. Caleb hit the ground with a thud, and Siri was quick to step on his wrist with enough pressure to pin him down. "A battle is about waiting," Siri said, as much to the class as to Caleb, "as much as it is about moving. Always remember that. Your weapon may be superior," she continued as she spotted a large shuttle fly overhead, heading for the Jedi Hanger. She didn't pay it much attention, however. She only noted it's unusual size, as most ships used by the order where much smaller. "But the most dangerous weapon in a warrior's arsenal is their mind. Plan your battle before it begins."

"Yes Master Tachi," the class said in unison.

"Yes Master," Caleb said, as he got to his feet.

"Good, young ones," Siri smiled as she ran her hand over a recent wound, courtesy of herself failing to remember the very same lesson she was now teaching the class. "Now I want you to-" As she spoke, a dark cloud seemed to engulf the Jedi Temple. Both metaphorically and literally. A large ship hovered overhead, many times the size of their hanger, which housed only a handful of small one-man ships.

The winds picked up, sending a cloud of dust into the air as the ship approached. And simultaneously groups of Knights assembled around the guard towers, something that had not happened in her lifetime. Usually only one or two Jedi manned those towers. Now, there were at least twenty per tower. Definitely not good. Even her soul seemed touched by the darkness that covered the temple. She looked around, and found that she was not alone. In each of the youngling's eyes she could see fear. She was about to escort them inside when she saw Mace Windu, second-in-command of the Jedi order, hastily making his way towards her.

"What's going on?" Siri half asked, half demanded from the Council Member.

"Come with me!" Was all Mace needed to say, "Your students will be tended to! We need you in the armoury right now!" He beckoned her forward hastily, leaving Siri only enough time to issue one command to her young Padawan.

"Stay with the group, Caleb!" she said before she departed, knowing that whatever had the elder Jedi so worried, as well as the rest of the Order, was definitely worth the urgency. Even still, she could see more and more Jedi manning the walls of the Temple. The shield generator began to fill the air with a distinct hum of electricity. All training had ceased. "What's going on here?" Siri demanded once more.

"Alderaan has been invaded," Mace replied as they reached the Jedi Armoury, which was already filled with several more Jedi, all donning top-of-the-line armour. "By a seperatist movement. Larger than any we've ever seen. And," he said worriedly, glaceing around as he spoke. "Led by the Sith." Siri nearly went weak at the knees, hearing those words. They were enough to make any Jedi woozy. She, like every other Jedi born after the war, knew the gritty details of, and the horrible power of the Sith Warriors. But unlike most Jedi nowadays, she had encountered one before, on a remote world beside her Master. "Right now what remains of the Royal Family is on that starship. I need you," he said as he thrust a domed helmet into her hands. "To ensure their safe passage to a secure suite. You will be their primary security while they remain here, and until this crisis is resolved. Understood?"

"Yes Master," Siri snapped as she discarded her usual brown robe, in favour of a white blaster-resistant one that covered her frame entirely. A belt clipped over it, from which her dual lightsabers hung. Two thick pauldrons covered her shoulders, yet still allowed her freedom of movement. And she strapped a thick breast-plate to her torso, one that covered from her neck down to her stomach. Gauntlets and thick, knee-high boots followed in order to complete the ensemble. She was offered a helmet, but refused for three reasons. One, she hated the damn things. Two, they obscured one's vision too much for her liking. And three, not wearing a helmet would make her more approachable to the refugee Royalty, something which was paramount to being the one guarding them. She couldn't do her job if she frightened them too much.

...xxXxx...

The Jedi Temple building was a marvel for both Bail and Padme to behold. They had never been to the capitol of the republic before, deeming their various other duties more important. However, now they wished they had done differently. As they walked down the steep ramp of the ship, five figures approached, all wearing silver and gold armour with long white capes floating out of the back. Four of them wore matching helmets that bore gold trim. The fifth, and obviously the leader, wore no helmet, and had an additional crest forged into her chest plate. Behind them stood what Padme and Bail took to be ten more Jedi Knights. The knights themselves were nearly as impressive as the building itself.

The top portions of the building consisted of a series of dull grey domes, with rings of black-tinted windows. Under the domes was a large landing pad, mainly used by important delegates as they travelled to and from the building. A vast entrance-way could be seen off to the side, with Blue-armoured Senate Guards waiting to defend the building, if need be. Padme wondered if there were more of them on duty than usual, because of the situation.

"Your Highness," the Armoured female Jedi said with a bow of her head. "I am Siri Tachi, of the Jedi Order. We," she said, indicating to the Jedi behind her, "are your personal guard for the duration of your stay. Once we reach the safehouse we will be joined by Senatorial Security Commandos, and a select few Military Officers. Please," she said with a small bow as a pair of doctors rushed up the ramp, past Bail and Padme, and into the hull of the ship. "Follow me. We have a speeder waiting."

Padme, for one, found these new Jedi to be quite different from the likes of Sifo-Dyas and Qui-Gon Jinn, both of whom came across as rather gruff and frayed. These, however, came across as honourable men and women, much like in the stories she had heard as a child.

Of course, she was still happy when the two Jedi Masters followed them to the speeder. Behind them lagged Owen Lars, the farmboy who had smuggled the Jedi into the city.

"Only a handful of beings on the planet know what has happened on Alderaan," Siri clarified as they reached the waiting speeder, which to Padme, looked much to plain for her liking. Especially when one considered the fact that the Jedi were so elegantly dressed.

Almost as if he sensed her thoughts, Qui-Gon placed a hand on her shoulder, saying, "A luxury speeder draws too much attention, Highness. And we can't rule out Bounty Hunters being put on our trail."

"Yes," Siri said in agreement, as the door to the speeder closed, and the pilot took to the skies. "We have tried to keep data leaks contained, but that won't work forever. In an hour you will be meeting with Chancellor Valorum and a select few Military personnel to discuss our next move." Padme took a seat across from her brother, feeling very famished from the past few days. The rations on their ship hadn't been stocked yet, and the Jedi had only enough on their persons to keep hunger at bay for a few hours. "But for now," Siri continued, "we need to keep you two safe. Otherwise things may go from terrible to much, much worse."

"They already have," Both Qui-Gon and Bail said simultaneously. Padme nodded in agreement as the ship sailed through the traffic lanes of Coruscant. "Alderaan doesn't have much time," Qui-Gon continued gravely, "The people are ill-prepared for a hostile occupation. I dread-"

"They're stronger than you think," Owen Lars said, speaking for the first time since they had entered the atmosphere. "They're tough. Like my Father. They won't go down without a fight. I guarantee that."

"And therein lies the problem," Qui-Gon replied softly. "A rebellion. Any rebellion would surely be crushed by their superior military might. Those farmers may be good shots, and they may be hardy folk. But without guidance, and our support they will be crushed in a matter of days." Owen and the Jedi shared a good long look with one another, until the Jedi continued with "Which is why it is important for you," he said, pointing to Bail and Padme simultaneously, "to convince the Senate of your plight as soon as possible."

...xxXxx...

Obi-wan stared at his unconscious Apprentice apprehensively. The surgery was over. A sleek black arm had been grafted to Anakin's body, just above the elbow. They had had to cut away a significant portion of burnt tissue from the stump, but he had been re-assured that that was very common with such injuries. Though I will confer with Master Sifo-Dyas about it myself, the Jedi Knight nodded to himself, as he stroked his chin.

The Healers had told him that the most dangerous part of the process was over. That there was only a fraction of a chance that Anakin's body would reject the metal limb. But that did little to ease the uncomfortable feeling in Obi-Wan's gut.

He wasn't worried for Anakin. No, his apprentice was a strong young man. Gifted in many ways that Obi-Wan was envious of.

It was the fact that he had failed as a Master that was disturbing him. It was his job to ensure his Apprentice reached his full potential, and that he lived to become a knight. But he had come so close to losing him. What had he done wrong? Had he not trained Anakin diligently enough? Had he not taught the boy about combat awareness? Had he praised Anakin too much, leading his Apprentice to having too much confidence in his abilities?

He stood still and watched the small servo-motors in Anakin's knew limb. He watched how them moved ever so slightly, mimicking the movements of real muscle and bone in every way save for one. He would never feel with that hand again. He would never flinch when toughing something too hot or cold. He would never feel some sort of pain through it again, and that was disheartening.

"I'm sorry, Anakin," Obi-Wan apologized softly.

"Sorry, are you?" An old voice asked, as the speaker hobbled into the room. Obi-Wan turned his shoulder to see his old Master, Yoda, waddling along with his walking stick in hand. Master Yoda was indeed a legendary Jedi in almost every sense of the word. In his youth, he had been a skilled Investigator, Lawmaker and warrior. And in his later years had proven himself to be even greater in philosophy, diplomacy and artistic craftsmanship. Every Jedi had gone to Master Yoda at one time, or another for some guidance. Whether they needed help training their own Padawan, or insight into a mission they were embarking on, or some guidance through the Force. Obi-Wan was simply lucky enough to have learned from him directly. "For what, I wonder?"

Obi-Wan paused slightly, wanting to collect his thoughts before he replied. One always needed a level head while speaking with Master Yoda.

Obi-Wan exhaled deeply before responding. "For failing him, Master," he said, completely overcome with the guilt.

"Failing him?" Yoda chuckled, "Failing him? Failing him?" He repeated as he slapped his cane against Obi-Wan's leg repeatedly. It was something he did often, trying to get a rise out of Younger Jedi, in order to teach them more about self-control. But Obi-Wan was having none of it.

"Yes, Master," Obi-Wan said firmly, but politely as he rubbed at the tip of his chin. "I...I failed him. And because of that," he said, as he gingerly stroked the tip of Anakin's new prosthetic arm. "He paid a terrible price."

"A price many Jedi pay," Yoda replied with a twitch of his ears, "your fault, it is not."

"Yes, it is master," Obi-Wan said firmly, "I didn't...I could have trained him better. I could have been there for him. I could have-"

"Here for him now, you are," Yoda cut in derisively, motioning to Anakin as he spoke. "Always with your Padawan, you can not be. Know the future, you cannot." Yoda said wisely as he tottered around the room, so that he stood on the opposite side of Anakin's bed, across from Obi-Wan. "Safe, he is. Safe, you are. Nothing more, a Master should hope for. Remember, I do," the venerable Jedi continued with a small smirk. "A young boy. Foolish, he was." Obi-Wan nodded, of course, knowing full well were this story was going. "Three times, you were shot, no? By a Bounty Hunter on Oberon Seven, yes?"

"Yes, Master," Obi-Wan replied softly, remembering the pain he had been in. "In the stomach. It was very painful."

"Yes, yes," Yoda repeated, again pointing his cane towards his former apprentice. "Painful it was. For me as well, it was."

"I don't understand, master," Obi-Wan said as he hung his head low. Though, right after saying that, he realized it wasn't true. He knew exactly what Yoda was talking about. A pain that every Master went through while teaching their student. The feeling of inadequacy, helplessness and of personal failure. Realizing this, Obi-Wan sunk his head even lower, something his old master picked up on immediately.

"Then a wise Jedi you are, Obi-Wan," Yoda soothed, "Understand with time, you will."

...xxXxx...

"It's absolutely unthinkable," Siri said flatly as she paced the length of the room, her well-trained hand never straying too far from her lightsaber hilt, even as she spoke. A Fact that Qui-Gon noticed and appreciated greatly. "What would a secessionist movement have to gain from such a violent act except a swift response?"

"To show their military might?" Qui-Gon offered from where he sat in the suite. On the way back to Coroscant, he had had plenty of time to think, and confer with his fellow Jedi about the events planetside. He distinctly remembered seeing Trade Federation and Commerce Guild Ships in the fleet, which meant he certainly knew who was backing the movement financially. But, he lacked any proof aside from his word, which meant he had no means to launch an investigation against those groups as of yet. "To be taken seriously, perhaps. There have been a number of small planetary rebellions that have been swiftly dealt with by the Republic with no resistance. An alliance would be the only way to gather the necessary strength to catch and hold our attention."

"And it worked," Owen Lars huffed from where he sat on the floor, across the lobby. In his hands he held a blaster pistol, which he was in the process of cleaning. "But like the lady said," he continued, nodding his head towards Siri, "The Republic Navy's gonna crush 'em like a Rancor crushes a Nexu. Wipe their sorry asses from existance."

"Unfortunately, it's not that simple," Sifo-Dyas added in with a deep sigh, clasping his hand against the young man's shoulder. "First, the Senate has to decide to send in the Navy. Then we have to arm and supply the ships, of which there are very few-"

"My father said the republic had close to five hundred warships," Owen replied intently, "surely at least half are-"

"That was during the height of a war," Qui-Gon interrupted, "this is peace time. Most of those ships have been decommissioned, or stripped for parts. Currently, we only have A hundred carriers, and ten command ships." Owen glared at him briefly for a moment, almost blaming the Jedi Master with his look before he tore his gaze away. Not that Qui-Gon disagreed with him in the slightest. The situation was definitely the Republic's fault.

There was little time to mull over this however, as all three Jedi in the lobby, as well as those in the other parts of the suite, heard the subtle click of the door's lock popping open, and they all leaped into action. Siri was closest to the archway that led into the rest of the suite, so she covered it by assuming a tight defensive posture, holding one lightsaber horizontally in front of her body, and holding the other back behind her head, ready to attack while the other defended.

Qui-Gon and Sifo-Dyas each took up a spot beside the door, even as it slid open, and two blue-robed Republic Guards entered the room, armed with heavy blasters. The Jedi breathed a sigh of relief, and deactivated their sabers as three men entered the room, two in dark senate-style robes, and the third in a crisp military uniform. The first two, Qui-Gon recognized as Gareth Quell, the Senator for Alderaan, and Sheev Palpatine, the Defence Minister for the Republic.

"Master Qui-Gon Jinn," Palpatine smiled as he extended a hand for Jinn to shake, which he did. "It has been far too long." Qui-Gon nodded appreciatively. Palpatine came from a military background, same as Qui-Gon. He too had served on the front lines of the war in his youth, and had quickly rose through the ranks to become the youngest Minister in Republic history at the mere age of Twenty-Seven. That had been twenty years ago, however. "A pity it has to be under such circumstances, however."

"Yes, yes," Gareth nodded as he looked around, "now, the Prince and Princess, are they-?" As if to answer his question, Padme burst into the room, almost shoving Siri aside before practically leaping into the Senator's arms.

"Gareth!" the Princess squealed as the older man spun her about.

"Padme," The Senator replied as he wrapped the teenage Princess in a tight hug. "Did they hurt you?" Was the first thing he asked her. Obviously he cared a great deal for her. "Did they hurt your Brother?"

"No..." Padme said, as tears welled up in her eyes. "No...it was so scary..." She broke down completely, sinking her head into the Senator's shoulder. "They...they killed him..."

"I know, young one," The Senator replied soothingly, as he stroked her hair. "I know they did. I-"

"As touching as this reunion is," the military officer who Qui-Gon did not recognize said flatly, with a cold tone as he practically sneered at the young woman. "Some of us do have more urgent matters to attend to. So, to business, then."

"What's your problem, stiff?" Owen practically growled at the man, who in turn, lifted his nose in a demeaning manner at the young Farm Boy. "Got some Jaucia Tea waiting for you back home?"

"Hmmmffft," the man scoffed as he turned away from Owen. "You must be the Farm-Hand who tagged along, am I correct? Lars, if I'm not mistaken?" he continued in a cold manner, which unsettled Qui-Gon slightly. "Perhaps I should introduce myself," he grinned. "Admiral Wilhuff Tarkin the Third, of the Republic Navy," he said with a smug grin, obviously very proud of his rank and lineage. Qui-Gon paid him little heed, however. In his experience, pampered individuals who proudly announced their name were often not prepared for the dirty work that inevitably came in war-time. But, he still reserved his full judgement until he could witness the man in action.

"Admiral Tarkin will be my representative," Palpatine assured quietly, "While I am dealing with affairs in the Senate. Once we have the proper clearance from the Senate," the minister continued, "his ship will act as our command vessel. But-"

"How long will that take?" Owen asked pointedly. "People are starving on Alderaan. Dying in the streets."

"We'll work as fast as we can," Palpatine replied, with a weak, fake smile that Qui-Gon didn't buy for a minute. He knew all to well how slowly the system worked, and just how corrupt some Senators could be. "I can assure you of that. For now," he said as four more guards entered the room, wearing identical armour to the first two. "I must leave you, I have important business to attend to, and there is little light left. Good day, Your Highness, Senator, Master Jedi," Palpatine finished, addressing each individual politely before making an exit, followed by the Senator and two guards.

"Politicians," Tarkin snorted after the door closed behind them. "Useless Bureaucratic fools. It could be days before the Senate decides on a course of action."

"Agreed," Qui-Gon replied wholeheartedly, "Too often I have been disappointed by their choice to reduce the military as much as they have. It may be peace time," the Jedi remarked, "but one should always be ready for a war."

"I couldn't have said it better," Tarkin nodded as he stroked his chin, and approached the large window that gave an excellent view of the city-scape. "the Republic as we know it is not ready for an all-out war. We can only pray that this insurgency will be dealt with promptly." Qui-Gon nodded his head in agreement, taking back his earlier thoughts as he too approached the window. "The last thing we need is for the Republic to fall into disarray."

"The Jedi Council will lend their support," Qui-Gon replied, "I have no doubt of that. But we will still lack in ships and weapons. Especially against the force I saw in orbit. We will require the aid of nearby systems."

"Hmpf," Tarkin grunted as he scratched his hawk-like nose. "I would have thought a general of your calibre would be more than up to the challenge, Master Jedi. Especially after your success in the Battle for Ryloth." A shadow stirred in the back of Qui-Gon's mind. A memory of a horrible siege, with many losses on both sides. Some of whom he had been very close to. He cast aside those thoughts, however, as he smiled at the young Admiral.

"A fluke," Qui-Gon re-assured the younger man. "A dangerous gamble mixed with a little luck, nothing more. It could have gone terribly wrong with even the slightest mistake."

"And yet," Tarkin replied, as Owen and Padme left the room, the latter of whom gave a solemn look towards Qui-Gon, "they still talk about it in the classrooms. But," he paused, pursing his lips slightly. "I have often wondered; Why did you choose not to sacrifice a smaller vessel in order to break their blockade, instead of your own command ship?" Qui-Gon nodded along as the young man spoke, preparing his well-worn, yet simple answer that he had used many times before.

"Mass," The Jedi replied, "The Resolute was the only ship in my fleet that had the necessary mass to withstand bombardment long enough to crash through their line and break it." At the time, as now, he knew that any smaller ship would have been annihilated before it got even close. Both men stood in silence as they watched the sun set on the city-planet of Coruscant. Both were planning for the days ahead, though neither said anything to the other. And both had very similar thoughts about what this would bring about for the Republic as they knew it.


	8. The Senate

Darth Bellus sighed as she scanned the street before her eyes. It was unnatural. It hurt to see a place of such beauty and prosperity brought down so low. Especially knowing she had played a hand in it. But this was for their own good. The people of Alderaan had put their faith in the republic, and that had cost them very dearly. Their warriors had been to few in number to repel their invasion. No cannons to defend their city, only an ancient shield generator system.

It was very pathetic. And now they were paying the price.

Rich Noblemen and Noblewomen now sat in the streets, hoping for handouts from the people passing by. However, most of those people walking the streets had nothing to give except knowing, pained expressions. Their once proud trappings were now a little more than rags. Hunger pulled at their faces.

And were hunger languished, riots were sure to break out.

It started as just general unrest among the people lined up for their allotted rations, which had been taken directly from local markets, as well as the Royal stores. Each ration for one person was the exact same as what a soldier received. Slightly more was given to those carrying children, until those guarding the rations realized how quickly they would be running out. If they continued to give out as much as they did, then the Soldiers would begin to revolt. Hungry, well-armed soldiers were much harder to deal with than hungry, restless peasants.

So in turn, rations had been reduced to half what they had been before. And that led to civil unrest. Which led to more guards. Which led to thrown projectiles. Which led to brutal beatings. It came to a point where the Sith Apprentice couldn't stand it anymore, and she simply walked away, down an abandoned street.

As with the main streets, this one showed signs of decay. Trash littered it's corners. A few rodents gnawed on discarded food while watching her keenly.

But it was quiet, very quiet. And for the first time since landing on the planet, she felt herself in a state of calm that allowed her to collect her thoughts.

Sitting down and crossing her legs, she entered a state of meditation. She felt herself expanding outwards from her body. The air in her ears began to hum slightly as she felt the collective consciousness of those around her. She was no master of the art, even being more skilled in it than her own Master was. She had learned more about meditation from the Shaman in her village than she had ever learned from the teachings of the Sith. In fact, most Sith thought the skill to be useless in the current climate. They thought that it was more prudent to hone their skills as warriors and Generals than it was to connect with the living Force.

So she hid herself as she practised, as often as she could. _In, out,_ she told herself as she breathed deeply with closed eyes.

 _Images of the day before flashed before her eyes. Blue and red lights flashed before her eyes in an exchange of blows. Her fierce battle with the Jedi Apprentice played out in front of her. Time slowed as she watched every twitch of every muscle in their two bodies. She saw her errors, how she should have been more cautious and tested his skills before attempting to overwhelm him with sheer power._

 _But she saw much more than that. She saw what she could only describe as what was to come. Shouting. Lots of shouting. The ground around her was exploding. Fighters danced overhead in intense dogfights. Blaster fire peppered the ground as soldiers exchanged blaster fire from cover._

" _Retreat! Retreat!" Maul roared as the enemy smashed through their lines. Leading the charge were three Jedi. His weapon spun around in a deadly arc as he battled two of the three Jedi, with the Third making a beeline straight for Bellus herself. The Jedi Apprentice she had fought the day before. He swung at her face with a vengance. And just before she could bring her blade up to defend herself, the vision ended abruptly._

"Who are you?" a child's voice asked from the darkness, prompting Bellus to open her eyes to the sight of a young girl, no older than six, she assumed. Her large brown eyes were full of wonder and awe. The girl's clothes and hair were matted severely. And she looked malnourished, even compared to the people on the main street.

"Bellus," The Sith Apprentice replied calmly, as she folded her legs together. The girl imitated her as best she could. Not an easy task, especially for one as young as the girl was. Although Bellus was no expert on human development, she knew the young girl was less than ten standard years old.

"Are you one of the bad people?" The girl asked with a cocked head.

"No," Bellus replied, doing her best to not shout obscenities. Why would this girl think _she_ was a bad person? She, along with the rest of the Separatist movement, was trying to _liberate_ people from the oppressive, weak, outdated Republic. Yes, for the meantime, Alderaan was under a state of military lock-down. But that was going to change! New wealth and prosperity would soon come to the oppressed people, as promised. It would just take time to share the wealth. "We are here to _save_ you," she said, explaining her intent in as simple terms as she could.

"Are you a Jedi?" the girl asked innocently enough to quell the fiery swell of hatred that filled Bellus' being at the mention of the word 'Jedi'.

"No," she said through partially gritted teeth. "I am not."

" _Oh,"_ the girl replied, as her eyes trailed towards the lightsaber hanging from Bellus's hip. Off in the distance, she could hear some shouting. Most likely from the rioting people having had enough of the guards putting a monopoly on the rations. And above everything else, she could hear the hoarse shouting of Savage Oppress, her master's brutish younger brother. The young girl's eyes were drawn towards the sounds as well, and something flickered behind them. "My brother is not happy. We have no food to eat," she said solemnly, as a look of desperation crossed her features. With a slight pang of guilt, Bellus reached into a pouch on her belt, retrieving several small food pellets. They wouldn't fill the girl, but would certainly provide the nutrition she so desperately needed, despite tasting like wet sand.

"Here," The Sith Apprentice said as she handed off the small pellets. "Take these to your family," she said as she rose to her feet, and the little girl did the same. "And stay off the streets," she said as she looked skyward, knowing that the city would most likely be turned into a war-zone soon enough, with thousands of Republic troops descending upon their heads. "Underground, if you can. I-"

" _Luke!"_ the girl interrupted as a boy, perhaps fifteen years old, was _tossed_ into the alley by Savage Oppress, who had his cackling red lightsaber at the ready. The girl tried to run to the boy's side, but Bellus froze her in place with the Force, knowing Savage's attitude towards innocents.

"Get up!" Oppress roared as he kicked the boy in the ribs. "You steal from me! You fight me!" Another kick, and blood poured from the young man's mouth. This had to stop, before he killed him.

"Savage!" Bellus snapped as she stepped forward, "leave him!"

"Slag off, _runt,"_ Savage cussed, without even throwing her a glance as he moved to kick the boy again. "I said, fight me!" he roared violently, seconds before being tossed into the side of a building by Bellus' powerful force-push. He landed with a _thud,_ but was completely unharmed. But he was extremely angry. And given that he was three times her size, and carried a lightsaber who's blade was as long as she was tall, that wasn't a good thing. It was all she could do to raise her blade to ward off his first strike as their duel commenced.

The second blow forced her to stagger back, her arms feeling like they were on fire. Zabraks were exceptionally strong. And Savage was exceptionally strong for a Zabrak. Weakly she raised her blade to deflect a third blow, this one actually lifting her off her feet slightly. A fourth would have killed her, had a hoarse shout not broken out.

" _Enough!"_ her master, Maul, roared from across the street, as he stood, surveying the confrontation. He strode forward, eyeing both Bellus and his Brother with contempt, and completely ignoring the two children. "Brother, go to the wall. Your _Master_ is overseeing the construction of our new mortar cannons there. It is vital that they are fully functional by tomorrow's end."

"Yes, Brother," Savage said as he bowed his head low, accepting his fate and turned away. But not before uttering the words " _...your tail-headed runt..."_

"And as for you, my _Apprentice..."_ Maul sneered, eyeing the two children for the first time, as he circled them like a predator. "Return to the palace at once. Our soldiers need to be organized, and ready for the coming battle. I have already ordered some to take defensive positions on the tallest buildings. But your _Mandalorians_ refuse to obey my orders." Bellus nodded, understanding her master's cold warning and taking it in stride.

As she walked away, she cast a look back at the children. They were looking back at her intently, seconds before they faded into obscurity like dust in the wind.

...xxXxx...

Anakin Skywalker was still having trouble comprehending exactly what had happened. He remembered charging headfirst into a fight. Then a flash of red, followed by some shouting, and blurred images. But now, when he looked down at his hand, he saw a metal contraption in the place of his flesh and bone.

Obi-Wan, as well as the Jedi healers had assured him that his new hand would be just as functional as his real one. That he would still be able to fly ships, wield his lightsaber, shake hands and do everything a Jedi should be able to do with their hands. But at the moment, he wasn't so sure. It felt unnatural, and out of place. But he didn't want to be thinking about that right at the moment, as he and his Master walked through well-cared for, and well-guarded hallways.

Indeed, Anakin had personally counted Twenty-six Senate Guards before he lost count. Practically unheard of, as far as he was concerned.

"Remember to be on your guard, Anakin," Obi-Wan said as he placed a firm hand on Anakin's shoulder, giving him comfort as they walked through the halls of the senate building. As a Padawan, Anakin had only ever been inside the Senate a handful of times, usually for private meetings between his master and one of the Senators as a part of a case or particular mission.

But that was not the case today. Today he would enter the Senate Chambers for a special session regarding the Alderaan crisis. "I don't think i have anything to be afraid of, Master," Anakin joked gloomily as they passed yet another set of guards. "No Bounty Hunter is getting in _here."_

"No," Obi-Wan replied with a small chuckle, "they won't. But not _every_ Senator trusts the Order. Over the past few years," he said as they passed by a pair of Nemoidians that eyed them with a scowl. "We have earned more than a few enemies. Outing corrupt politicians is sure to do that," he said. Anakin nodded, remembering the time he and his master had uncovered a slavery operation right on Coruscant itself, and the uproar it had caused both in public and in the Senate. "Just stay close to me and you'll be fine."

"Yes Master," Anakin said dutifully as he walked behind his Master. Perhaps now a little more weary of the Senators that lined the walls. He had never seen the building so full before. It was rare for every senator to show up to a session. Most of the time it was merely the Senators from the largest, most influential and strategically placed systems like Serreno, Kashyyk, Naboo, Cato Nemodia, Rodia, Ansion, Onderon and many more. But today was an exception.

It seemed as though despite the Jedi Order's and Republic Security's best efforts, news of Alderaan's plight had reached many ears.

"Obi-Wan!" Fellow Jedi Siri Tachi said over the din of noise created by the whispering Senators. Both Master and Padawan turned their heads in her direction, though Obi-Wan perhaps moved a bit faster. Anakin smiled, knowing that his master did his absolute best to hide his relationship with Siri from Anakin's eyes, so as to not pollute Anakin's opinion of the Jedi Master. Which, of course, made every conversation between the three of them all the more funny.

Siri was standing with Master Sifo-Dyas, as well as the remainder of the Jedi guard, around the Prince and Princess of Alderaan. They were welcomed by the group without any hesitation.

"Master Jinn has gone ahead with Palpatine and Tarkin," Sifo-Dyas informed them, after a quick questioning glance from Obi-Wan, before turning his gaze on Anakin. "So young one, joined the ranks of amputee Jedi have you, young one?" the elder Jedi jested as he swept his hand down and yanked Anakin's mechanical arm up for them all to see. "Fine craftsmanship here, I'd say," Dyas nodded as he examined the limb. "Backup servo-motors, good. Increased tensile strength, very nice. Power pack is slightly exposed. You _might_ want to do something about that. Dura-steel will do fine, but if you can get your hands on some Phrik or Beskar, go with that."

"Thank you, Master," Anakin said quietly, trying to remain humble and to ignore the praise of the legendary Jedi Warrior. A few awkward moments of silence followed as the Jedi and Royal Family attempted to simply wait out the arrival of other Senators. Until Obi-Wan broke the silence.

"Siri, perhaps we should check the perimeter, there may be something that the Guards have missed," he suggested. Of course Anakin knew his master well enough to know this was am ere ruse to temporarily seperate himself and Siri from the rest of the group, so that they might have some alone time. As soon as the two of them left, Padme spoke up.

"I thought Jedi were supposed to lead a celibate life?" she asked with curiosity.

"Completely false," Sifo-Dyas replied with a heft smirk. "We are perfectly capable of having any relationship we choose...with some guidelines, of course." Anakin nodded appropriately. Every Jedi Student was taught right from the beginning that the feeling of love and happiness was completely natural, and should not be denied in order to serve some higher purpose. If it was the will of the Force, then it should be allowed. Though romantic affiliation with criminal elements was certainly frowned upon in the eyes of the Council. "Most Jedi, however, remain celibate due to the demands of the Order. It's not easy for other beings to understand that we may leave for the very fringe of the galaxy with only a few hours notice. Mostly we associate ourselves with our fellow knights."

"Do Jedi have children?" Bail piped up. "I mean, in order to preserve your order..."

"Yes," Sifo-Dyas nodded, "children are permitted. I myself have a son and two daughters. But I hardly ever see-"

"Why not?" Padme asked intently, "wouldn't you see them every day you are at the Temple? How hard can it be to-?"

"Rahu-Dyas and Fli-Dyas are not Jedi," Sifo-Dyas answered politely, "the ability to control the Force is not _strictly_ genetic, as far as we know. However," he continued, nodding to one of the Jedi guards standing near the back of the group, who promptly removed her silver-and bronze helm. "Nuk-Dyas, however," he nodded towards his daughter, who apart from being half a foot shorter and bearing slick black hair that was braided through her horns, "has been at your side since you touched down. A better guard you could not ask for," he complimented.

"Thank you, Father," Nuk-Dyas replied softly as she bowed her head respectfully. Over the years, Anakin had gleamed various small nuggets of information about the relationship the two of them had. Sifo-Dyas had passed up the chance to have his own daughter as a Padawan. Which was not unheard of, but the young Zabrak apprentice had apparently taken some offence to it and had physically _attacked_ him with her lightsaber.

Though to say they fought was a lie. Sifo-Dyas was simply to skilled to even consider most Jedi a threat in a duel. Many trainees had described it as a blur, with Sifo-Dyas grabbing his Daughter's blade right out of her hand as seconds before she landed what could have been a lethal strike. And afterwards, he had been told that Sifo-Dyas defended her position before the council, being the sole reason she remained a Jedi.

...xxXxx...

"It's been too long since we've been alone like this, Obi-Wan" Siri mused as the two of them paced down the Senate hall.

"Months, I'd say," Obi-Wan replied regretfully. Their duties as Jedi where taxing on their secret relationship, even before they had both taken on Apprentices. Now these small moments were to few and far between. On more than one occasion Obi-Wan had thought about being more public with their affairs. "I believe it was on Cyrrodil. While we guarded the Senator's son during the festival of the Sun, am I right?" he asked jokingly. "After that months-long undercover stint?"

"Yes I believe so," Siri replied with a grin, "though not much has changed. Your beard has improved, however," she continued, running a finger across his chin as she spoke. "You looked more like a _Bothan_ than a human."

"Well I hated it as well," Obi-Wan shrugged honestly. "It's only purpose was to help me blend in with the scum of Cyrrodil, remember? I had to drink a few Bounty Hunters under the table in order to get that information out of them."

"Don't remind me," Siri replied with a small scoff, "I had to 'entertain' Zorba the Hutt and his men that night. Not very fun, let me tell you." Obi-Wan was forced to stifle a laugh as he remembered waking up after a drunk stupor to see Siri dressed in a skimpy dancer's outfit with a fierce scowl across her face. He certainly hadn't minded the clothes, but she sure had. Afterwards she had gone into great detail about how she hoped one day someone would _strangle_ that Hut with the chains he had put around her. "So your apprentice is fairing well?" she asked, changing the subject.

Sighing to himself, Obi-Wan replied, "Anakin is a tough boy to figure out. He won't say anything to me, but I'm sure something has changed within him. He hasn't even _spoken_ to me about what happened on Alderaan. Even when I've asked."

"Well it was a rather jarring situation," Siri shrugged, "A harsh battle like that, he must have been swept up in the action. Perhaps even emboldened by yours and Master Dyas's actions. I know the feeling," she added in tentatively as they continued down the hall, passing a number of Senators, many of whom now had their own private security guards around them. It made Obi-Wan slightly uneasy to see so many blasters in a place meant for peace and tolerance.

"Yes but he's usually so _open_ about things like this, in his own way," Obi-Wan replied with a deep sigh. "Even if he doesn't say anything, I can tell what he's thinking. But right now...it's like I'm looking at a blank slate. As if a part of him-" the words stopped in his mouth as Siri pushed him into an abandoned corridor rather abruptly. Only years of honing his balance kept him on his feet.

"Obi, listen to me," Siri said with a calm, understanding tone of voice. "You are one of the most...no, _the_ most caring Jedi I know. On Onderon, you were the one to give up your rations to those starving children. You risked your life on Nar Shadda for that old man. On Bespin you took three shots meant for me. We all know this. Anakin knows this," she continued as she slipped one of her hands onto his torso, and closed her eyes. Immediately he felt the air around him begin to hum with the energy of the Force, which he opened himself to.

A sensation filled his being as he too closed his eyes. Even with closed lids, he could see shimmering lines of Force-energy. The strongest being Siri's outline, which shimmered with a blue-green colour. Every contour of her being was put on display for him to admire. Every curve. Every perfection. He too was fleshed out in a sea-blue colour, their very souls touched in that moment.

"I know he will eventually come around," Siri said, the words forming in his head instead of with her mouth. "I know in my heart that this _will_ blow over, Obi-Wan. Perhaps this is Anakin's great trial. Perhaps it is not, but you can't worry yourself sick over this. You have to let events take their own course."

"I don't know if I can," he replied, as he sunk his head low. "He's my responsibility, Siri. He needs my protection, and I wasn't able to-"

"You did nothing wrong," Siri said as she cupped the side of his face with her free hand. "You never do. But you just don't understand that yet," she said as the contact between the two of them broke, and they returned to the real, physical world. Without another word they exited the corridor like nothing had happened. Though Obi-Wan's gut was still swirling with emotion and unease.

...xxXxx...

Padme Organa was more nervous than she had ever been in her life.

She found herself not wanting to be there in the Senate Building. Much less standing in front of thousands of strangers.

" _ORDER! ORDER!"_ A massive Kel-Dor, the Majordomo for the Supreme Chancellor roared as he attempted to quell the thousands of angry voices. He was like a pebble in an Asteroid field. _"we will have order!"_

"Order?" the Rodian Senator bellowed not far from Padme's podium. "Order? Those Separatists have started a _war!"_ A chorus of voices seemed to agree with him. "As if the Criminal Empires were not enough! My Planet cannot sustain itself if we become cut off! I _demand_ that we mobilize the Navy to protect vital trade routes!"

"And who would decide what to protect?" A Sullustian replied with a scowl. "You, Senator Farr? I'm sure your opinion would be greatly valued in-"

"How dare you!" Farr roared, "Senator Teen, I would never compromise my position in order to protect systems not deemed vital to the Republic!"

"A mere coincidence then," A Togruta Senator butted in, "that you have _always_ campaigned for a greater amount of funds to supply your ships with the necessary arms?"

"Rodia has long been the target of criminals!" Farr growled, "given our close proximity to Tattooine! With only the inept hairballs to-"

" _HUURRR-RAOWK!"_ A Wookie roared, finally silencing the outspoken senator, and causing Padme to retreat backwards. Straight into Anakin Skywalker. A comforting hand was soon placed on her shoulder, and she looked up towards the older Zabrak Jedi, Sifo-Dyas, who's expression remained stoic, yet calm. Even as the Wookie continued to growl and roar like a wild animal, cowing the other Senators into place.

"It's alright," Sifo-Dyas said softly as he squeezed her shoulder tightly, "Chief Attichitcuk's harmless, Princess. He's just very _vocal_ about these things."

"Wasn't he the one who tried to claw your face off?" Obi-Wan asked with a whisper. Padme could barely hear him over the voices of other Senators, who were still arguing, though in more civilized tones.

"That's beside the point," Sifo-Dyas replied, "He had good reason to be angry. I trust his judgement. _And_ he's handy when things get dirty."

"Our Economy is already going down the drain!" a Aqualesh said desperately, bringing the party's attention back to the discussion at hand "now you suggest we _increase_ military funding? For what, the protection of _one_ world? Preposterous!"

"While we can not afford such an expense," a Milarian Male said, "perhaps we _can_ help Alderaan. Send a platoon of Militia troops to-"

"A Militia wouldn't be enough," Sifo-Dyas cut in. His voice dissuaded any opposition as much as a lightsaber would have. "They take too long to train. And they would be _slaughtered_ against the forces occupying Alderaan."

"What would you suggest, Master Jedi?" Farr scoffed with indifference, "that we _use the Force?_ I find that- _"_ He was cut off by yet another angry outburst from Attichitcuk, and returned to his seat with a frightened look on his face. As did several other Senators, once the huge double-doors slid open and in walked two three figures. Master Qui-Gon Jinn, Minister Palpatine and Chancellor Valorum himself. All of whom looked extremely concerned. As they should have, of course, given the weight of the situation.

Padme looked around at her Jedi Guards for some assurance, hoping that they could offer some words of comfort. Only Anakin would even look in her direction, as the others were to preoccupied with what was about to be said.

Palpatine was the one to speak. Very reluctantly, it seemed. "My friends," he said, swallowing his words as he spoke. "We...we have received _troubling_ news from Alderaan. Open...open line four, please..." Silence filled the room as one of the aides did as he was told, and a hologram snapped to life. The two flickering blue figures were larger than any in the room. One stood, one knelt.

"Senators..." the sinister voice of Darth Maul echoed through the room, sending shivers down spines as he spoke. "So glad that we could gain an Audience with such a _prestigious_ crowd!" he said, as he circled around the kneeling man, who was obviously his prisoner.

"We are _not_ afraid of the likes of you!" someone shouted, causing Maul to snap his head back in the speaker's general direction.

"Then you are a fool," The Sith spat, "even your mighty Jedi Knights _fled_ from me. They cannot protect you. I can," he growled lowly as he ignited his lightsaber, still pacing around his prisoner as he continued his spiel. "Your Republic is crumbling from the inside. Rotten, unstable. Corrupt. The Confederacy of Independent Systems seeks to rid the Galaxy of such _weakness!_ Join us! I can protect you like the Republic cannot! No one will touch your planet unless you wish! And if they do," he said, as he grabbed his prisoner by the back of the neck and roared, "tell them your name!"

"My name is Cliegg Lars," the man muttered, "I am a _soldier_ for the Republic! And I am not afraid of scum like-" _Ffff_ - _zzk!_ Cliegg's last words were never finished, as Maul swung his Lightsaber through the man's neck, decapitating him without a second's remorse. Padme stifled a scream as she watched his head roll out of view.

"They will meet the same end," Maul sneered before the transmission ended on his end. The immediate response from the Senators said one thing. The one thing her family had always told her to avoid at all costs. Yet it was the one thing she desired the most in the moment. The one thing her people would need to happen in order to be liberated.

The Clone Wars had just begun.


	9. The Two Armies

"Tighten your grip!" the drill instructor practically roared into his ear. An astounding feat, given how the sounds of blaster-fire filled the air as Owen, along with at least one hundred other recruits, drilled themselves in the use of a blaster against moving targets.

Child's play to him. He could fell a wild tusk-cat from fifty yards. Metal targets where nothing. The only thing throwing his aim off slightly was the automatic fire. He was used to one shot, one kill.

"Lead with your aim!" the drill instructor barked as he walked past Owen. "Fire where the enemy will be! Not where they are!"

"Sir yes sir!" every trainee within earshot grunted in unison.

"In one hour, you'll all be shipping our with the rest of the fleet, headed straight for Alderaan!" the man continued as he came to a stop beside Owen, peering over his shoulder and admiring his aim. Owen didn't try and impress the man. He simply wanted to do his part for the Republic, and for the memory of his Father.

He gripped the barrel of his blaster rifle even tighter as he fired off shot after shot. He wondered how his father would feel about what Owen was doing. He'd always said that serving in the navy was the best thing that had ever happened to him. When he was younger, Owen had assumed that had been because that was how he had met Owen's mother. But, as he grew older, Owen understood that Cleigg hated to talk about his experiences in the war. He said it had changed him, twisted who he was.

But at the same time, he had also always insisted that Owen know when to stand up and fight for what you believe in. This felt like the right time to be fighting. Fighting for the freedom of his home planet, fighting for the sovereignty of the Republic, and fighting for the memory of his father.

"Good aim, son," the drill instructor said, as he clapped Owen on the shoulder. "Military family?" he asked.

"My Father," Owen replied swiftly, as he swapped cartridges, and resumed firing. As he fired, a newcomer, a Twi'lek male, sprinted into view. He made a beeline straight for the drill instructor, presenting him with a holo-file.

"So," the drill instructor said, as soon as he finished reading the contents of the holo-file. "You are certainly a recruit I want on board, Mr. Lars," he said as he handed off the holo-file. "We're glad to have you aboard. Please return your weapon to it's proper station before following Bohki," he said, nodding his head towards the Twi'lek, "to a shuttle. He will then lead you to the command ship. You've been summoned by the Jedi."

...xxXxx...

"Stretch out with your feelings," Obi-Wan's soothing voice whispered through the air as he spoke. Anakin could hear him, even over the hum and cackle of his lightsaber as he moved it through the air.

He breathed slowly as he heeded his Master's words, opening his mind to the vast sea of the Force. His senses heightened themselves as he felt the very air vibrate with power.

His vision was blocked by a strip of black cloth that Obi-wan had placed over his eyes, in lieu of a proper training helmet. The point of the exercise was for the Jedi to rely on their other senses to compensate for their loss of vision. Some Jedi relied completely on this skill, after being blinded in the line of duty. Others, like Anakin, used it to enhance their senses.

Something clicked nearby. The Drone. Anakin sensed it was about to fire and spun his blade accordingly in a deft block. However, his mechanical limb over-compensated and his blade moved an inch to far, allowing the stinging bolt to slip through his guard. His arm stung, but Anakin shrugged it off. The minor sensation was nothing compared to the pain he had endured only days prior.

The Jedi Apprentice readied himself again, holding on to his blade even tighter now. "I'm ready, Master," he said with confidence. A snort escaped through his nose as he listened for the sounds of the drone.

He sensed the droid's movements. It was to his left, higher than his head. Anakin swung hard, aiming a slicing cut straight for the droid while holding it still with the Force. A move that was not exactly frowned upon, but not approved by some. Luckily his Master was the former, not the latter.

A searing hiss let him know that he had hit his target, and momentary glee filled him. He had needed that victory.

"Good, Anakin, good," Obi-Wan praised, as Anakin removed his blindfold, once more revealing the hull of the Republic Attack Carrier named _the Sovereign._ Crates lined the walls of their improvised training room. Mostly filled with rations and medical supplies, nothing too dangerous. "You're doing well," Obi-Wan said as he placed a hand on Anakin's shoulder in a fatherly manner. "Your strength has returned."

"Thank you master," Anakin replied dutifully, as he ran the tips of his flesh fingers over the scarred portion of his face. The Jedi Healers had told him that there was absolutely no possibility of those disappearing. Twi'lek nails contained a non-lethal toxin that prevented a full recovery. Essentially that skin was dead. But there was also no risk of an infection, which he was glad to know.

He would still be sure to get back at the Sith scum who'd given him the scars, however. He promised himself that. He felt the shuttle move beneath his feet, and knew that they had begun the takeoff cycle. "How long until we are planet-side?" he asked.

"It's a full day's flight from here to Alderaan," Obi-Wan replied as the two of them exited the small cargo hold. But before we leave the Planet fully, we will have to wait for several more carriers. Mostly food, munitions, ships and troops."

"More ships, huh?" Anakin smirked, "I hope we're getting a few of those Ion Engine Fighter prototypes. They're supposed to be top-of-the-line!"

"You and your ships," Obi-Wan said with a slight shake of his head. "I don't think the temple has _ever_ turned out a pilot right like you!"

"Natural talent, Master," Anakin smiled giddily as a pair of blast doors opened up, and in walked Siri, and her young Padawan, Caleb. Behind them stood Bail and Padme Organa, and a select few Temple Guards. "Maybe you'd get better, if you ever actually took the controls."

"He tried that once," Siri snickered, "it took them a week to clean up the landing strip he tore apart."

"You two are joining us for this operation?" Obi-Wan said, raising his eyebrow as he looked at the young apprentice. Caleb was still inexperienced, even for a student. As far as either he or Anakin knew, Caleb had never been in active combat before.

"My mandate is to protect the Royal family until this situation has been resolved," Siri replied with a grin. "So, yes, I'm going with you." Anakin looked from his Master to Master Tachi, seeing the spark fly from one to the other. Love between Jedi was not explicitly forbidden, which led Anakin to often wondering why the two had never copulated their relationship.

"But not planet-side," Obi-Wan said, not able to keep the slight concern out of his voice. "You and your-"

"Master Jinn has agreed to take my apprentice," Siri cut in smoothly, "as well as to guard the Prince and Princess. I however," she grinned as she leaned against a support beam, "am going _with you."_

"Well I always did enjoy working with you," Obi-Wan grinned as he folded his hands together. "Anakin, you will remain aboard this ship as well." The young Jedi felt his heart sink, and something gnawed at his inside upon hearing his Master's command. His glee from Obi-Wan's praise disappeared.

"I'm going with you, Master," Anakin said surely. He needed to go. He needed to see things through. He needed to settle his score with the Sith scum who'd maimed him.

"You aren't ready," Obi-Wan replied, as he turned to face Anakin directly. His expression was a fatherly, concerned one. One that Anakin despised greatly. "Not yet, Anakin. This is too dangerous for-"

"Dangerous?" Anakin snapped back intensely, "I'm _not_ a youngling anymore, Master!"

"I never said that," Obi-Wan sighed as he tried to place his hand on Anakin's shoulder, only for the younger Jedi to pull away."But it's safer aboard this ship, Anakin. I need to know that you can-"

"That I will stay here like a _good_ little Padawan," Anakin snorted with disdain as he thundered out of the room.

...xxXxx...

"We want to keep the fighting as far away from the city as possible," Bellus said to the gathered commanding officers as she leaned over the holo-table, which showed a three-dimensional map of the Capitol, as well as some of the surrounding terrain. "We will use the preexisting walls to our advantage. They have been outfitted with ray-shielding, so it will take continuous mortar fire to open a hole for their ground troops. If we deploy marksmen here, here, here and here," she said, motioning to several highlighted locations. "Then that will give us maximum long-range coverage. Heavy repeaters will be placed on the outer walls, with extra shielding."

"What about bombing raids?" A general in the back inquired. "Surely-"

"Heavy cannons will be placed in the centre," she replied, again indicating towards the area in question. "Providing us with maximum coverage, with no way for a ship to get in close, without being placed directly in the line of fire. Unless they fly underground, that is." She swallowed as the doors slid open, and in walked her Master, and his brother. "the only real threat would be a capital ship. Which I trust Commodore Ackbar to keep occupied."

"Why not simply encompass the entire city in one large bubble?" another general inquired.

"We don't have the resources," Maul replied sternly, "not yet. Besides, the Republic will not bombard the city to get at us. They will send in ground troops. No doubt led by the _Jedi."_ he sneered as he circled the table. "Remember your training. Focus your fire on one Jedi at a time. Flank them when possible. Grenades are the best tool for bringing them down. Am I understood?"

"Yes sir," the generals and commanders replied in unison. Soon after, they dispersed out of the war-room, leaving Bellus alone with her Master. A cold silence filled the room as she felt herself being stalked by her Master. It was the first time she had been alone with him since her fight with his Brother. And she knew full well that out of the two of them, he liked Savage more. Far more.

"Master," she said respectfully.

"A well-thought out battle-plan," Maul nodded, as he examined the map before him. He ran his fingers through the three-dimensional buildings as he spoke. "I have ordered a single heavy cruiser to stay in orbit above us. Captain Trench shall provide the necessary cover-fire from up high. _That_ should give us an extraordinary edge in the battle for the city. Which is the ultimate key," he said, this time looking her directly in the eye. She almost shrank away when she watched a flicker of anger in his eyes, but she stopped herself. Showing weakness now would only anger him more. "The space-battle is a little more than a diversion for the majority of their forces. Undoubtedly the Republic will send it's finest warriors in the first wave. We will allow that, then we will cut them off from any reinforcements."

"Hit them as they get off their ships?" Bellus inquired.

"Precisely," Maul smirked. "When they are still getting ready for their assault, our fighters will swarm down upon them, burning the ground they stand on."

"Not much honour in that victory, Master," the Sith Apprentice replied. "We should-!" the words stopped in her throat, constricted by the Force as it wrapped itself around her neck.

"Honour is not the goal," Maul said with a tiny sneer as he curled his fingers together. "We are not _here_ to save refugees. We are here to make a _statement._ To tell the galaxy that their Republic is weak and that the Jedi are cowards!" Even as he spoke, Bellus gasped for air as she was lifted off of her feet. Darkness swam at the edges of her vision as she contemplated fighting back. _No,_ she thought, clearing her mind, _that will anger him more. To the point of killing me._ Just as she felt herself slipping into unconsciousness, Maul released her from his grasp, and she fell to her knees, gasping for breath.

"Always remember, Apprentice," Maul whispered into her ear. "how I found you, scratching a living from _rocks_ on that abandoned wasteland of a planet. Not even able to provide enough food for you and your sister!" As she caught her breath, Bellus closed her eyes, hearing her Master's words with perfect clarity. She had long ago sworn that she, nor anyone she cared for, would ever be so weak and helpless again.

...xxXxx...

"Bureaucratic fools!" Sifo-Dyas snarled as he crossed the thresh hold of the ship's bridge. All eyes turned towards him. Only for the junior officers to immediately avert their gaze, out of fear of incurring the Jedi Master's wrath. Some senior officers continued to glance his way, however. But only Qui-Gon Jinn, Bail Organa and Wilhuff Tarkin dared to even approach him.

"I take it the negotiations did _not_ go favourably?" Qui-Gon asked, folding his arms across his chest. Instead of wearing his more traditional field uniform, Jinn had now donned a set of black-and-white battle-armour. There was no mistaking him for anything other than a soldier now.

"No," Sifo-Dyas spat. "The Security Council has decided to _cut_ our forces in half," he said miserably, breathing hard.

'But they said-!" Bail began to blurt.

"Several senators came forward," Sifo-Dyas replied, obviously annoyed, as he circled the centre console. "Voicing their concerns about committing half of our current forces to _one_ system." A display popped up, showing the fleet they had been given command of. Three Heavy Cruisers, Five Light Cruisers, Two support & refit ships and one medical frigate. Less than half of what he had asked for, and a quarter the number of ships he had seen above Alderaan. He and Qui-Gon had done more with less in the past, but in his experience, numbers certainly _helped_ win the battle.

Furthermore, of the fifteen thousand soldiers currently under his command, only five thousand were fully trained and equipped. The rest where volunteers who would need training before he sent them into live combat. He certainly appreciated their courage and bravado, but would have the ten thousand recruits for two thousand veteran soldiers.

The doors to the bridge slid open, revealing the only recruit that Sifo-Dyas was glad to have onboard. Owen Lars. From what he had heard from his contacts in the recruiting office, the young farmer had almost marched straight from the Senate building to the nearest recruiter to sign up on the spot.

He wasn't surprised at all. After all, the young man was obviously eager for revenge, and a chance to shoot the bastard Sith Lord who'd decapitated his father.

"You...asked for me?" Owen asked, tentatively as he gazed about the room.

"Yes," Qui-Gon said, stepping forward to speak. "I did. Unfortunately, our resources are limited, as is our time. Which is why you are so valuable," he said, as he clicked a few controls on the console, bringing up a three-dimensional map of the Capitol city of Alderaan. "You're going to help lead the initial offensive. Your knowledge of the city will be essential to a victory."

"I highly doubt that," Tarkin scoffed indifferently.

"Enough," Sifo-Dyas snapped back at him. "Our options are limited. A direct assault with the ships we have would be...stupid. We'll need a diversion. The mountains," he said, pointing to a small range just outside the city limits. "Is there a way through them?"

Owen studied the map for a few seconds, before replying. "Yes. I think so," he said as he rubbed his chin. "Maybe. Me and my buddies used watch and bet on pod-races in the old tunnels under the mountain."

"Pod-races have been illegal for sixty years!" Bail blurted incredulously.

"Hence why they were held under the mountain," Owen replied smoothly, before continuing his explanation. "There were at least two other entrances. I know about one that is city-side. The other is on the northern side," he said as he pointed, "right about here. It's been a while since I was down there. And I've never been in the actual pod tunnels, but I know them fairly well. On foot, it'd take a day to make our way through. On speeders would be faster."

"We don't have many speeders to spare," Tarkin surmised, as he drew up a list of munitions and supplies at their disposal. "Fourteen, to be exact. Even if we have each unit carry three soldiers, it won't be nearly enough to mount a full offensive." As he was speaking, the doors to the bridge slid open, and in walked Obi-Wan Kenobi, Siri Tachi and Caleb Dume. Owen eyed the latter, seeing just how young he was, and wondering if it was a good idea for him to be present. But it wasn't his place to say anything.

"I think I know where we can find more speeders," Qui-Gon suggested as he pointed to the map. "Local farmers are sure to have a few we can borrow." He said, looking to Owen for support.

"Yes," the farm-boy nodded in agreement as he set his hands against the cold steel surface. "And probably a few high-powered blaster rifles too," he paused, and looked back towards the soon-to-be-king and re-assured him, "all legally obtained, of course."

"Good to know," Sifo-Dyas shrugged before turning to speak with Obi-Wan, "where is your apprentice?"

"He's still on the ship," Obi-Wan replied simply.

"I take it he's not happy with the arrangement?" Sifo-Dyas smirked slightly.

"No," Obi-Wan said with a shake of his head. "So stubborn...I'll have to make sure he doesn't sneak aboard one of the transports..."

"You mean like we did that one time above Cato Nemodia?" Siri shot back with a small smile. "I swear that boy is a dead wringer for you, Obi. No wonder you two get along so well," she said as she gingerly punched him in the shoulder, in a playful manner. "He'll be fine," she re-assured as she patted him on the shoulder. "He's smart. He's good with a blade. And a crack pilot to boot."

"I know," Obi-Wan whispered, soft enough that only Siri could hear him.

...xxXxx...

"Unbelievable!" Anakin muttered, kicking a cargo crate with his foot. Almost instantly his foot began to throb in pain, and he sat down on the same crate, nursing it with his hand. He let loose a string of curses, aimed towards the crate, himself and his Master.

Who was Obi-Wan to think it was okay to leave him behind? Especially on an important mission like this one. For all they knew, the fate of the whole galaxy rested on this moment, and yet he was to be sidelined, like a youngling on his first mission.

He wasn't. By all accounts he was an exceptional student. The Temple's battle-master had given Anakin personal praise for his skill with a blade, saying he was well above the other Apprentices his age. And that he would make a fine Jedi Warrior in a few years time. Siri Tachi had even once commented that Anakin was far more experienced and skilled than she or Obi-Wan had been when they where his age.

He let out a slow breath, as he realized that his feelings might be getting the better of him. Ca _lm, clear your mind must be,_ Master Yoda had often repeated aloud as he led Anakin, as well as the other young Jedi, through basic morning routines. He analyzed the situation, trying to see it from his master's perspective.

He felt like he might be close to seeing things Obi-Wan's way, when he felt another presence. He looked up as Padmé Organa sat down next to him, her simple white dress flowing over the edge of the crate. Two of her Jedi Guards flanked the door, staying well within line of sight, but far enough away to be respectful. Obviously they felt that Anakin was more than capable of protecting her, should a threat miraculously appear, in the few seconds it would take them to reach her side.

"I've never been on a ship this big before," she said, breaking the silence with a small smirk. "I've only seen them back home, at the loading bays."

"This?" Anakin replied, bringing his head up, "this isn't the biggest ship I've been on. Obi-Wan and I once had to sneak aboard a Mon Calamari Cruiser that had been hijacked by Pirates. It took us the better part of two days, because we had to crawl through the droid access vents!"

"What?" Padmé chuckled, "How? How did Obi-Wan manage to fit through-?"

"Oil," Anakin nodded as he recalled the memory in his mind, "lots of oil. And he had to cut away a few support beams with his lightsaber to fit through properly."

"It sounds like you Jedi lead an interesting life!" Padmé exclaimed excitedly. 'I bet you have gone on hundreds of adventures!"

"Jedi aren't supposed to get excited," Anakin smirked, again recalling one of Master Yoda's earliest teachings. "Or have adventures. Do our duty, we must. Nothing more, nothing less," he continued as he realized he was reciting Yoda's mantra word for word.

"Still," Padmé replied with a tilt of her head, "It sounds a lot more exciting than boring lunches with stuffy old men and women. Discussing the minute details of current Politics. Learning about electoral processes. I'd trade all of that," she said as she motioned towards the lightsaber that hung from his belt. "for one of those."

"Really?" Anakin said, as he unclipped his Jedi weapon and held it in his hands. He recalled the gruelling process which he had to go through to earn the right to carry it. "You would spend three days climbing the tallest mountain on Illum? Only to then descend into it's deepest caverns and spend days searching for a single crystal a quarter the size of one Republic Credit?"

"It took you that long to build your lightsaber?" Padmé asked, astonished.

"Longer," Anakin nodded. "Once I got back to the Temple I spent a week in deep meditation, fusing the hilt together until the Force told me it was ready."

"'The Force' told you?" she said mockingly, with a raised eyebrow. An expression most non-force sensitive beings had while discussing the powerful energy field. "the Palace's chief Scientist, Egroeg Sacul, told Bail and I that Jedi controlled the Force with the help of symbiotic microscopic life-forms called-"

"Well that's a load of Hutt slime," Anakin replied. "The Force has nothing to do with bacteria. It is an energy field, a sentient one at that, which communicates with those of us sensitive enough to it's presence." he finished with a sigh, realizing exactly what the Princess had done to him. She'd managed to take his mind off of his bitter emotional state, and towards a more fond memory. For which he was very thankful indeed.

...xxXxx...

Qui-Gon nervously gazed out of the window, peering out at Coruscant. He watched the thousands of tiny ships buzzing around it's atmosphere. Most of them where civilian and commerce ships going about their day-to-day business.

However, they where now joined by a large number of war ships. Most of which where being deployed to other core worlds. A small fraction were being held in reserve for the defence of the Capitol planet itself, along with three orbital defence platforms, and a shield gate.

The Jedi master also caught sight of the last remnants of their convoy linking up with the fleet. Two troop carriers and an escort corvette. He'd made due with less in the past, but still wished for more.

Against the wishes of both the Jedi Council and the Galactic Senate, he had reached out to a number of contacts that he had developed over the years. Mostly pirates and small-time criminal syndicates, and called in a number of favours. Waiting for them at Alderaan would be a sizable amount of food, decommissioned Military hardware and weapons.

He had requested those materials because he knew that once the Battle for Alderaan was over, they would quickly be re-deployed to another, 'more important' system, and that the people of Alderaan would need a way to defend themselves. And he was sure to have a wealth of fresh recruits to arm, as well.

"Commander," Tarkin said as he stepped to Qui-Gon's side. "The Fleet is ready for the jump into Hyperspace."

"Good," the Jedi Master replied, as he placed his hands on his hips. "Make sure the crews are at their battle-stations. Have the fighters fully fuelled and all torpedo bays fully stocked. We can't afford to be caught by surprise."

"Yes sir," Tarkin replied, as he relayed the order to his own subordinates. "Do you think we have enough firepower to win this battle, Commander?"

"Yes and no," Qui-Gon said firmly, still not tearing his gaze away from the planet.

"Sir?" Tarkin asked, obviously confused.

"Our weapons are superior," the Jedi Master explained. "Our troops have better armour. We have the largest Jedi Strike Force I have seen in fifteen years. But," he said, pausing slightly as he considered his words. "Our enemy has had time to plan their moves carefully. We haven't."

"All the more reason to crush them quickly," Tarkin reasoned. A sentiment that Qui-Gon would have agreed with in his youth. "With one swift stroke."

"We won't have time to," Qui-Gon replied, finally turning away from the window and strutting down the command deck of their flagship. "They will dissipate before we get that chance. But we can keep them on their heels. Now," he said, as he came to a halt, and signalled towards the communication station. "All ships, prepare to make the jump into Hyperspace on my mark. Once we arrive, things will start to get hectic really quickly... _Mark_!" he barked, and in the blink of an eye, every single ship sped away in the same direction, aiming directly for Alderaan.

None of them knew it yet, but the next twelve hours would define the Galaxy for decades to come.


	10. The Battle for Alderaan (Part 1)

"All hands, battle stations!"

That alarm sounded throughout the Republic fleet the second they exited Hyperspace. Within seconds, every single ship began to shake and rattle as they where bombarded by turbo-laser fire.

Inside _the Sovereign,_ fighter crews stumbled to the ground, as the entire ship was rattled by a powerful bombardment on their aft deck. Explosions bounced off their shields, which held for the moment, thankfully.

In response, the convoy of Republic ships opened fire. Over fifty high-powered turbo-laser batteries blasted through space towards the enemy blockade. Half of their shots missed their targets by a small margin, but the remainder hit. Of the scored strikes, most bounced off of the enemy shields, as they had against the Republic's ships.

Something Qui-Gon had counted on.

"Deploy Blue, Gray and Green squadrons," he ordered simply. He watched a view-screen, which showed the hangar bays as ten prototype Z-95 headhunter fighters, and thirty I.E fighters spilled out of two exits. The Headhunters where fast, lethal, and well-armoured dogfighters. Their wings splayed out in a T-shape that gave them a minimal profile to incoming fire, while two cannons and a single proton torpedo bay made them effective attack craft. The I.E fighters, however, where a much faster, more reliable ship that the Republic had employed for years. Able to turn on a dime and packing enough to take out any target a single fighter would be facing, their reputation was well-earned.

"Grey leader, standing by," a man said.

"Blue leader, standing by," a woman said.

"Green leader, standing by," another man grunted.

" _Ophselion_ formation," he said over a fleet-wide transmission. "Disperse and prepare to intercept enemy fighters," Qui-Gon ordered stiffly, as he felt his heart begin to race slightly. "Grey squadron, take up the middle. Blue, handle the left. Green, the right. Execute evasive manoeuvres. All ships," he said, addressing the fleet in a fleet-wide transmission, "accelerate to flanking speed. Hold formation. _Reliance, Liberty,"_ he said, addressing the lead two assault ships. "Transfer fire control to the _Sovereign._ We'll need to concentrate our fire on one ship at a time. Acknowledge."

"Understood," the other two captains said in unison, as the convoy doubled it's speed, closing the gap between the two fleets rapidly. Qui-Gon took the time to better assess the enemy formation. He breathed a sigh of relief as he counted the number of ships, finding them to be less than half of what he remembered. The Separatists where behaving as expected, and where already in the process of fleeing the system after making their bold statement.

However, Qui-Gon's fleet was still outnumbered by at least five Assault Carriers. Their only saving grace being that the enemy ships appeared to be in poorer condition. Two of them, he noticed, where the exact same model of ship the Sith had used in the last war. A model that, even if fresh off the line, would be considered obsolete by current standards. Each only had one quarter the firepower one of Qui-Gon's ships had at it's disposal. The ship shook again, harder this time.

"Re-route one-third of our rear shield power to forward position," Qui-Gon said calmly, "and have the rest of the fleet do the same."

"Yes sir," a Junior Officer replied from his station, following Qui-Gon's order perfectly. "Sir...they're targeting our supply ships!" As he spoke, Qui-Gon watched as one of their ships was struck on the nose. It teetered downwards several degrees, but regained it's posture. A quick glance revealed that ship to be one of their supply ships, the _Hellion._

" _Hellion,"_ Qui-Gon ordered, "fall back to point zero-fifteen-fourty! You're taking too much fire!"

"We can hold it..." the _Hellion's_ captain replied, with the strain showing in his voice.

"You lack the armour and the firepower to make it through this blockade," Qui-Gon snapped back. "Now fall back. That's an order!"

"Yes sir," the captain replied, the disappointment dripping in his voice. As soon as he dropped off, the comms went haywire with chatter from the fighter squadrons.

"Incoming enemy fighters! Intercept and destroy!" Grey leader roared as ships veered left and right, engaging in rapid duels with one another for supremacy over that area of space. There where too many to count, but Qui-Gon could tell that their numbers where relatively even.

He paced the length of the bridge, watching the space battle unfold before him. Whoever was in charge of organizing their fleet was certainly a very capable general. Someone he hoped would survive the battle, so that he could at least congratulate them on a hard-fought battle.

The Republic convoy edged ever closer to the Separatist blockade, with their rates of fire increasing with every second. Fire blossomed along the hulls of two Separatist Carriers, as well as along the underside of the _Liberty._ But he couldn't call them off, and send them to safety like he had the _Hellion._ No, he needed their firepower for what was going to come next.

"Troop carriers," he said, addressing the three ships along the rear of the convoy, "prepare to break formation. On my mark, accelerate to maximum speed towards the Planet's surface. Gold squadron," he continued, addressing the third of four fighter squadrons at his disposal, "escort them as best you can. Your main priority is their defence. Do not peel off unless necessary."

"Yes sir," Gold leader replied, as his squadron of I.E fighters sped out of the Hangar, and swarmed around the assigned transports.

"Sifo-Dyas," Qui-Gon said, opening a private channel to his long-time friend, who was _piloting_ the blockade runner they had taken from Alderaan during their escape through it's descent onto the planet. His ship would have to provide the heavy fire that Gold squadron could not. "Be careful, my friend. And may the Force be with you."

"And you to, my old friend," Sifo-Dyas replied, as his ship peeled off, surrounded by Gold squadron.

"Intensify the forward firepower!" Qui-Gon commanded the Assault craft. He knew they possessed enough firepower to cover the advance of the Troop Carriers. However, once they got in range of the Enemy's reserve star-fighters, things would be a different story. Sifo-Dyas would be on his own for that.

" _Commander!"_ one of the deck officers shouted. Qui-Gon turned sharply. The young man's voice was dripping with fear. Not a good thing to happen on board a warship. Either he was unprepared for the rigors of war, or there was something truly wrong. "An enemy fleet has just dropped out of hyperspace! I count _six_ additional ships off our left flank!"

"That Sith _sleemo_ captain knows what he'd doing!" Qui-Gon grimaced as he weighed his options. There wasn't much of a choice to be made. They where effectively cut off from the forces they'd sent to the surface. The enemy's reinforcements where much more advanced, armoured and armed than the others. Any one of them could go toe-to-toe with one of Jinn's ships for a long time before being worn out. "All ships, Rakkata Formation, now! Protect our supply ships at all costs! Red squadron," he said, personally addressing the only fighter squadron he had yet to deploy. "Defend the fleet!"

" _Sir,"_ red leader replied, "yes sir! A few of our boys though, sir. They got caught in a fire on deck thirteen. Req-"

"Request granted," Qui-Gon replied, transmitting a ship-wide broadcast. "Any available pilots, make your way to the Hangar! Red Leader will assign you to a ship!"

...xxXxx...

"Hang on!" their pilot roared as the Troop Carrier began to shake and rattle violently. Much more so than it had previously. To Owen, it was like riding a wild Nerf that was trying it's hardest to knock him off. Something he had done more times than he would ever admit.

All around him sat fifty soldiers, with an equal mixture of grim and fresh faces among them. All of them where armed with the same stock blaster and armour. Obviously they weren't special forces. Just grunts.

"You're the Nerf Herder, right?" One of the soldiers, Rex, beside him, his twin brother, Cody smiled. "The one who almost shot a Jedi? And saved the Royal family?" he asked over the sounds of explosions.

"Yeah," Owen replied with a nod. "Farmhand, born and raised. First time to Alderaan?" he asked, gaining a chuckle from the other soldiers on-board, even as the ship rocked with another blow.

"Yep," Cody replied as he tapped the side of the ship. "Thought I'd get a warmer reception from a bunch of peace-lovin' farmers, though," he said with a shake of his head as the speakers buzzed with static.

" _Capitol ship over the city! Taking heavy fire!"_ The ship's captain roared as the entire ship veered left, sending everything and everyone not properly strapped in rolling around. _"Lost engines two, three and four! Have to put her down!"_

" _Negative Transport!"_ another voice, one of the pilots of their fighter escort replied. _"You're too far from the landing zone!"_

" _Losing power! Deploying drop-pods! Brace yourselves! Gonna try to-!"_ Their Captain shouted back. Owen watched as everything began to float in the air. He immediately knew this was due to a rapid descent, and what was about to come. Without even thinking, he grabbed a nearby trooper who had yet to properly strap in, and forced him into a harness.

No sooner had he done this than the entire bay, which was one of their ship's ten drop-pods, detached itself from the main portion of the ship. All ten pods screamed towards the planet's surface at an alarming rate, even with their counter-thrusters working overtime to stall their descent.

"Never mind!" Cody shouted above the sound of their descent, "never thought it'd be this much fun!"

"Fun?" another Soldier replied as the pod bucked under the pressure of a powerful strike to it's hull. "I think I'm gonna puke!" From what he had been told, these pods where designed for high-velocity impacts, and could take a hell of a beating before disintegrating. So there was no real need for them to worry.

Until they reached the ground, at least.

The entire pod screeched to a halt as it skidded through the dirt, carving a scar through the landscape. A shower of dirt, stone and foliage flew away in their wake. The harness that Owen was wearing pulled tightly against his ribs, robbing him of his breath as they continued forward, with their progress slowly coming to a stop.

Unable to overcome the feeling in his stomach, Owen pulled off his harness, leaned over, and puked. That was a rougher ride than he had ever experienced. The disorientation washed over him as he tried to stand up straight. No one from the pod could walk in a straight line even, though some fared better than others.

Eventually someone managed to get the main hatch open, allowing them to all spill out. In total, there where one hundred and ninety-nine of them. One man hadn't made it, and still sat in his seat, where he had his neck broken from the force of the impact.

"Squads, form up!" Cody bellowed as he checked his blaster rifle. "Three-man fire teams, spread out in echo formation. Foxtrot, you're on point. Domino, you're bringing up the rear. Charlie, secure those thermal detonator crates. Echo, the speeders! Delta, the mortars!" The men did as they where ordered, detaching several large crates that had been secured to the side of the drop-pod, and passing them around. "You, farmboy!" Cody said, pointing to Owen, beckoning him forward. Which he did. "You know the land best. How far to the landing zone?"

Owen nodded as he tried his best to get his bearings. To his left, far off in the distance, he could see Kor'tuk mountain, the tallest mountain on the entire planet. On the other side of which lay the capitol city. But that was easily two days worth of walking away. Something which he relayed to Cody and Rex, the latter of whom swore vehemently.

"Everyone," Cody ordered flatly, "Pile on board. I want us moving in two minutes. Let's go!" he said, before jumping onto the nearest speeder. Fortunately, these speeders had been specially elongated to carry more troops and equipment. Each could carry twenty-five people, and there where nine speeders total. More than enough room to fit everyone.

...xxXxx...

" _Prepare for a hot landing!"_ Sifo-Dyas roared as he braced himself for impact. Their ship was moving to fast to fully stop in time, and at the same time, they couldn't pull up for another pass. Enemy fire was tearing them apart. Their shields where only barely holding together, and the gunners where completely overwhelmed.

The ship shook as they carved through the dirt, their landing gear twisting and warping from sheer pressure. They did not overturn the ship, however. Which was a good thing. They second they came to a full stop, Sifo-Dyas re-routed all available power to the deflector shields and turbolaser batteries, giving them maximum offensive and defensive capabilities. At the same time, he opened up the ramp, allowing troops carrying bubble-shield generators and heavy repeater cannons to exit the ship.

Within seconds, the air was filled with heavy blaster-fire on all sides. Even before he disembarked the ship, the ground had become pocket-marked with blasts from energy mortars. His soldiers fired in all directions, as enemy fighters traded shots with ace Republic ships above them. The Republic ships where clearly superior, but severely outnumbered. There where at least three enemy ships for every one Republic ship.

"Corpral!" Sifo-Dyas roared, pointing to the nearest commanding officer. "Get communications up and running! I want a direct line to the command ship! And find out where our reinforcements are!" he grunted, as he ignited one end of his double-bladed lightsaber. The bubble-shield that surrounded them offered protection from incoming fire, but it would not prevent enemy troops from passing through and opening fire. And he could already see several speeders pulling up to do just that.

Six squads of black-armoured clone troopers, with ten men per squad, sprinted through the shield. Unfortunately, Sifo-Dyas's men where outnumbered. But they held their ground, trading fire from superior positions. None of the cloned troopers made it more than twenty feet from the shield's perimeter. But they where never meant to, it seemed.

The enemy seemed to not care much for the lives of their soldiers. Instead of a coordinated attack, they opted for overwhelming numbers. More speeders had come to a halt behind the downed troopers. These soldiers, however, where able to take up better positions to fire from. They traded fire expertly with the Republic forces. And while Sifo-Dyas knew his troopers where more than a match for the simple grunts, the time they would take to gun them down would be very costly.

For every second wasted on one Separatist soldier, their defences weakened. So, the Jedi Warrior opted for a different plan. He felt the Force well up inside of him, before he became a blur of motion and darted across the no-man's land.

Every stride he took covered three of a normal man. Every second was a minute to him. Calmly, he ignited the second end of his blazing lightsaber, using it to bisect two Clone Troopers with absolute ease. He rolled with his momentum, slicing through one more before reaching out with his hand. Using the Force, he grasped one of the enemy speeders, and tossed it into a cluster of soldiers, crushing them.

His blade spun in a wide series of arcs, deflecting back every shot that came his way. And every shot he turned away struck an enemy, either killing or disabling them. He thrust his hand out, and the ground beneath their feet rippled with energy. A miniature earthquake rattled the ground, affecting only those that Sifo-Dyas targeted specifically. Half of the remaining Separatist Soldiers fell to the ground, while some only staggered. Those who remained standing found themselves outmatched by Republic Soldiers.

He stopped, allowing himself a moment to breathe, as he knew he had earned them a temporary respite. No doubt the Sith Lords where watching the battle, and would either wish to enter the fray themselves, or marshal their most powerful soldiers to deal with the esteemed Jedi Master.

...xxXxx...

"I really hate flying!" Siri shouted as she rolled their two-man fighter to the side, out of the way of a larger enemy gunship. She twisted their wings to be at a near perfect angle to avoid the gunship's fire, and Obi-Wan breathed a small sigh of relief, as he manned the rear gunner's turret, blasting away pursuing enemy fighters.

They had followed Sifo-Dyas's corvette through the atmosphere with Gold Squadron, losing only about one third of their wing-men in the battle.

"No argument here!" Obi-Wan replied as he blasted yet another pursuing fighter into smithereens. From his position as the rear gunner, he could see the battle unfolding around him almost perfectly. Far below sat Sifo-Dyas's corvette. It was serving as an impromptu command centre for the time being. It's batteries fired off in all directions, chasing away enemies that dared to attack it.

As they flew, Obi-wan was forced to do his best to keep his nausea at bay. He hated flying. Hated it at his core. He would much rather be down on the ground with the legendary Jedi Master than stuck up in the skies waiting to be shot down. _My luck,_ he told himself, _I'm going to die on a ship!_

Their craft rolled to avoid a maelstrom of enemy fire, and Obi-Wan managed to blast away three of them. But the fourth proved to be a crafty pilot, and evaded every shot. He even managed to clip on of their ship's wings, sending them into a spiralling motion.

"Gotta land!" Siri snapped, even as she pulled at the controls, obviously she was doing her best to keep the craft under some control. "No way we're getting control back! Three...two..." She never got to _one,_ as their ship carved a deep scar in the planet's surface.

Every bone in Obi-Wan's body shook as they continued to slide across the planet. A part of him wondered why the ship hadn't simply disintegrated upon impact. But the majority of his thoughts where focused on simply not having a horrible, fiery death. He lost count of how many times he bashed his body against the side of the ship, the controls, his seat, and Siri herself before they came to a final halt.

Ragged breaths escaped his lungs, causing him to wince in pain. He knew he'd broken a few ribs with that landing.

But the pain was nothing new to him. He'd had much worse before.

With a groan, Obi-Wan managed to push himself to his feet, even as his head began to swim. Telltale signs of a light concussion.

"Siri?" he coughed, looking around for his longtime friend. Smoke was pouring into the ship, making it hard for him to see even right in front of him. He ignited his lightsaber, providing some light in the dark interior of the ship. Thick smoke obscured his vision, but not enough to hide his fellow Jedi's stumbling figure as she made her way towards the light.

Of course the ramp controls of their fighter didn't work, so Obi-Wan resorted to slicing through the hull of their ship with his lightsaber. A simple wave of his hand pushed the metal away, allowing the two Jedi Knights to exit onto the carved-up field. Their ship had done more damage to the landscape than he had originally thought.

"Another happy landing," Siri coughed as she reached for her com-link. "Master, our ship's down North-East of your position. Can you send a speeder to-" Static washed over the channel. "Damn it," she swore, stowing the com-link away. The Separatists had jammed their transmissions, making coordinating an attack that much more difficult. But not impossible.

With nothing but their two heads, the Jedi pair went to work on a plan.

"We're here," Obi-Wan said as he used a stick to draw a rough picto-gram in the mud. "The battle," he said, as he drew another, "is here. We're about ten clicks away. Now," he said as he continued to draw shapes in the mud with the stick. "One of our transports went down over _here._ If we can link up with them, we'll be able to attack the Enemy's rear line _here."_

"No," Siri replied as she snatched the stick from his hands. "While we where in the air, I saw a convoy of reinforcements coming _this_ way," she said, drawing shapes in the mud to emphasize her point. "They'll cut off our reinforcements and cut them to shreds before they can be of any help. _But,"_ she continued, "if we intercept them on the ridge, they won't stand a chance."

...xxXxx...

Anakin Skywalker was not one to sit idly and watch things as they passed him by. He was a Jedi of action. And when he saw an opportunity to do something, he just jumped feet-first.

 _Technically_ , he reasoned, _I'm not disobeying Obi-Wan's order...he did tell me to listen to Master Jinn._ As he contemplated his actions, he thundered down the hall of the Republic cruiser. As he ran, he passed by many officers, crew members and maintenance staff who had been injured in the opening moments of the battle. He wanted to stop and help them as much as possible, but that would distract him from his true goal.

He needed to reach the Hangar and get to a starfighter. He knew this because he could feel the Force itself compelling him to do do just that. It was a feeling unlike anything he had ever experienced. An almost tranquil feeling engulfed him as he rounded corner after corner, and dodged obstacle after obstacle. He moved as if his feet where not his own, as if _he_ was a puppet, and the universe was the _puppetmaster._

The ship rumbled with another impact, but he did not stop, even as those around him stumbled to the ground. Anakin leaped over their heads, continuing on his way, feeling the Force encouraging him to move forward.

And not just the Force, either. A thousand voices filled his ears, telling him he was doing the right thing. He nearly stopped then, after hearing what _sounded_ like Master Yoda whispering in his ear. But he did not slow his pace, because of what he knew in his heart.

Finally, he reached the Hangar, finding only one remaining T-wing fighter being overseen by an inventory droid. A smile cracked his face as he trotted over to it, grabbing the flight helmet right out of the droid's metal fingers.

Against the droid's protests, Anakin hopped into the Pilot's seat and began activating the craft. He'd flown similar models before, so this newer one was no problem for him to master. With ease, he keyed in an over-ride code for the hangar doors, opening them. His com cackled with chatter from the battle as he shot off into open space.

Anakin was a prodigy Jedi pilot, as far as the Order was concerned. Manoeuvring a ship came as easy to him as wielding a lightsaber did. He used the Force to enhance his senses, telling him when and where he should move the controls, which gave him an edge few could compete with. He'd described it to Obi-Wan before as feeling like he was meditating, but at a much more accelerated rate.

Without even looking, he tapped the control yolk, swinging the fighter around in a wide arc, avoiding the dorsal fin of the _Sovereign._ He watched as the capitol ship was bombarded with enemy fire. There where too many ships for it's point-defense guns to deal with, and too few escort fighters to effectively ward off the attack.

However, the enemy squadrons had made one fatal mistake.

They hadn't noticed him.

He charged his ship right into their midst, firing at the closest fighters he could hit. Their shields had been weakened in the dogfighting, and soon enough he destroyed two of them. The rest attempted to rally a defence against his onslaught. However his arrival renewed the vigour of the four remaining Republic pilots.

Without question, they fell into formation around him.

"This is Jedi Anakin Skywalker," Anakin said over the com, "thought you guys could use some backup!"

" _...lad to have you with us, Skywalker!"_ one of the pilots replied as they shot towards the enemy swarm. _"Was almost in trouble for a second there...any plans?"_

"Yeah!" Anakin replied enthusiastically as the Separatist fighter swarm closed in, and began to fire in their direction. "Take as many of these bastards out as we can!" He dived the nose of his ship low, below the majority of the swarm, before he opened fire on a few stragglers. One went down immediately, while another left the engagement with a smoking engine. Anakin would have finished him off, but he picked up two fighters on his tail, and was forced into evasive manoeuvres in order to avoid becoming space dust.

He was a better pilot than the two following him, but the chaos of the battle limited his options. And the fact that there where two of them meant that they could easily counter any conventional moves he made. Looking out into space, Anakin could see the rest of the Republic pilots doing their best to ward off the enemy fighters. They where doing well, but not well enough. Every minute they spent dogfighting was a minute they could not spend hammering the Enemy fleet with torpedoes.

He had to do something to lose his tail, and fast. He skimmed his ship low over an Enemy corvette, dodging it's turbolasers. Despite his hopes, both trailing fighters avoided the deadly bolts as well. They where too zeroed in on him, which was their fatal flaw. They didn't watch where he was _going,_ only where he _was._ A lesson that Obi-Wan had drilled into his head a thousand times over the years.

And now it was paying off.

He flipped his ship around, heading in the other direction. Of course, the two others followed keenly, never guessing his destination. Their only goal was to shoot him down. Luckily, he was able to use the Force to perceive where their shots would land, and avoided them appropriately. A grin crossed his face as he spotted the tall command tower, knowing it was the most well-defended portion of the ship. After all, one didn't want a lone Starfighter to crash into it, thus bringing the whole ship down.

Luckily his Fighter's registration helped the ship's gunners to not shoot him down and properly target his adversaries. They avoided every shot, but the distraction was enough that one of them accidentally swung too low, and crashed into the hull of the Republic ship. Now able to go on the offensive, Anakin gunned his engines to full speed, coming around in a wide, predictable arc that the Enemy pilot watched closely, until he assumed he knew where Anakin was going. Which was the exact moment when Anakin cut his speed by two-thirds, narrowing the arc he was turning in and placing him directly behind the Enemy Fighter, who had nowhere to go. Without a second's thought, Anakin shot him down.

Now he could get a better look at the battle as a whole. The Separatist reinforcements had done a number on the Republic Fleet. They'd essentially cut a direct line through the fleet, causing disarray in the formation. Their supply ships where now being battered by heavy fire, while the warships where being corralled into a tight space, unable to move properly to fight back. Someone had to do something to break the Enemy line.

"Red leader!" Anakin snapped, coming up with a tentative plan. "Report! How many fighters do you have?"

" _...not enough, Master Jedi,"_ Red Leader replied hastily, _"we lost four, six and seven...three of us left...plus you."_ Anakin pondered for a split second. Four snub fighters was not exactly ideal for engaging an enemy warship at point-blank range. Sure, they had proton torpedo's, which could damage, even disable or destroy one. But they would need perfectly-lined shots, aimed directly at the bridge.

However they didn't really have a choice either way.

"Follow me, then!" Anakin barked, "and make for that boat!," he said, dropping a nav marker over the intended target. "We gotta take it out! Arm those warheads! It's gonna take at _least_ three direct hits to take it out!" Luckily, the Warship's shields had been depleted greatly by the Republic Fleet.

Unfortunately, there where at least three dozen enemy fighters, plus two small frigates in their way.

Together, the four Starfighters entered the thick fray. They kept a tight formation, carving a hole through the enemy wave with a volley of shots. Apparently there where no heroes on the side of the Separatists. Which was good for them.

Anakin rolled his ship to the left, out of the way of an incoming enemy frigate. As he rolled, he peppered their bridge with fire. Not enough to damage them in any way, but just enough to force them to look away due to the bright light. He spun past the frigate with no problems, and doubled his speed as he watched three enemy fighters zone in on Red Leader. There was nothing Anakin could do for him. He was a dead man.

All Anakin could do was concentrate on the Enemy's capitol ship. It was an old Sith Seeker model, re-fitted with heavy turbolaser cannons. A part of him was forced to pray for the chance that they had not upgraded their defences. Mainly because he knew there was one, little-known weak spot that he'd heard his Masters mention in History Lessons.

The underside of the ship had a large docking bay, used to carry and capture smaller vessels. The open area was covered by a ray shield, sealing the atmosphere inside, allowing crew members to work safely inside. However from there, a single proton torpedo could, in theory, disable the ship. Two would decimate it. And three would completely gut it.

Hopefully they got three shots, because that's how many fighters where left in Red Squadron. Himself plus two others. Beads of sweat rolled down his face as the three of them edged closer and closer to the ship's weak-spot.

" _Fire!"_ Anakin barked, thumbing the button which launched his torpedo, sinking it straight into the target. Red two's shot struck as well. But at the last second, Red Three was struck from behind. Sending his shot wide.

Or it would have, had Anakin not acted more on instinct than on thought. He reached out into the Force, feeling it's power as he grasped the torpedo, and forced it to follow a chosen path. It took all of his concentration to do it, but he managed. The torpedo struck home, hitting it's target by the barest error margin. Just enough to send ripples of energy through the Capitol ship, which formed into balls of fire that erupted from the hull.

Cheers flew out across all Republic channels as Anakin watched their Fleet rally together, thanks to the opening he had created for them. Now, it was no longer a slow, painful death for the Republic Forces, it was again a much fairer fight.

" _Skywalker!"_ Jinn's voice said over the comms, _"Report in! I know you're out there!"_

"I hear you, Master Jinn," Anakin replied, steeling himself for the tongue-lashing he knew he was about to get. "You did order-"

" _That was some impressive flying, Skywalker. Think you can lead Blue Squadron down to the surface? Dyas needs air support pronto!"_

 **A/N: I'm really sorry that I took so long to post this, but this chapter has been plagued with trouble, from a corrupted file, pacing issues and plain-old writer's block. But I'm back in the swing of it now, and should have the next chapter up in no time! (Yes, I'm going to do an episode 2 & 3!) In the meantime, check out "Star Wars: The Knight Survives" if you've ever wondered what would have happened if Obi-Wan had survived his duel on the Death Star. **


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